Michail Antonio is closing in on a return to club football, with the Jamaica international set to join Qatari side Al-Sailiya on a short-term deal as he continues his comeback from the car crash that nearly ended his career.
The 35-year-old forward had spent recent weeks training with Charlton Athletic while exploring the possibility of staying in England on a flexible, pay-as-you-play agreement.
Talks never fully progressed and he turned his focus to other opportunities abroad. Al-Sailiya have now moved ahead in negotiations, accelerating discussions over the past few days with an agreement understood to be close.
The proposed contract would run until the end of the Qatari season, which has six matches remaining, giving Antonio an immediate route back into regular club football.
Antonio has not featured domestically since the serious road accident in December 2024 that left him with multiple fractures to his leg.
He returned to action earlier this year with Jamaica at the Concacaf Gold Cup, marking his first competitive appearances since the crash.
West Ham United released their record Premier League scorer last summer, bringing an end to a long spell in East London where he became one of the club’s modern icons.
Since then, Brentford and Leicester City explored possible moves for him, while Portsmouth also showed interest, but nothing serious materialised eventually.
In Qatar, Antonio can finally get the much-needed minutes on the pitch and a steady weekly routine, after a year dominated by rehabilitation.
Antonio is also embracing the cultural change that comes with moving to the Middle East. Having spent most of his professional life in England, he admits there will be an adjustment period, from the heat to the pace of the league.
Yet he sees it as a fresh challenge, a chance to learn, adapt, and prove that even after one of the most serious injuries of his life, the competitive side to him hasn’t waned.
“Football is more than just a game for me,” he says. “It’s about testing yourself, every day, in new situations, against new opponents”
The transfer could be wrapped up in the coming days.
