Karren Brady's West Ham offer left Michail Antonio stunned after his car crash | OneFootball

It's fair to say that Antonio took exception to Brady's contract offer last year, as well as her comments on his injury...

Despite being one of West Ham United's modern day icons, it's fair to say that Michail Antonio's exit from the London Stadium was very much an acrimonious one.

After a career rise that saw him start off at Tooting & Mitcham in non-league, Antonio landed at the Hammers in the summer of 2015 after agreeing a £7 million fee with Nottingham Forest for his services, and he'd go on to make a huge impact in his 10-year stint in east London.

Antonio's 83 goals in 323 West Ham appearances would include three separate Premier League seasons where he'd bag double figures, with his conversion from a winger to a centre-forward being a massive success.

The Jamaica international's final season with the Hammers though would be a nightmare - not long before Christmas, Antonio was involved in a car crash that left him with a lower limb fracture, ruling him out for the rest of the season, and it ended up ending his West Ham career.

Michail Antonio issues West Ham contract revelation involving Karren Brady

At one point though, it looked as though there may be a potential return in the offing to the London Stadium for Antonio, who after appearing for Jamaica in June 2025 in what was a quicker-than-expected recovery was still working on his fitness with the club where his contract had expired at, and even appeared twice for the under-21's in Premier League 2 action last August.

But a discussion over the veteran forward's future with then vice-chairman Karren Brady effectively ended any chances of Antonio staying around at the club any longer, in which she offered a brutal retort to his surprise at the contract he was offered.

“Karren Brady told me that she’d offer me a £5,000-a-week contract, but with the under-21s, not the first team,” Antonio told FourFourTwo.

“I said, “How can you offer £5,000 a week and tell me to play for the under-21s, when the under-21s are on more than that and I’ve been at this club for 10 years?”

"Her response was, “Well, they haven’t been in a car crash and shattered their leg.” I was like, “Oof, OK…” I didn’t sign the contract.”

Despite the snubbing of a much lower contract than the reported £85,000-per week he was on prior to his deal expiring last year, Antonio wanted to remain building his fitness up at West Ham's training base, but a rift with Graham Potter nearly put paid to that due to comments he made as a pundit on TNT Sports about clubs treating 'players like meat'.

“He said, “I think it’s best that you don’t come back in here," Antonio recalled.

"I told him, “Well I will be, because you guys have a duty of care to me and I know I’m allowed to be here, so I’ll see you tomorrow.” It was an argument and, from that day, we never even said hello to each other, and never spoke again.”

Michail Antonio's West Ham contract claim may be a valid one

Just recently, there has been a surprise reveal that prior to his permanent move to Sheffield Wednesday from Aston Villa, Louie Barry was on a wage of £40,000-a week at Villa Park, despite never playing a Premier League game for the club.

And when you take that into consideration, you have to wonder what some of West Ham's under-21 squad are on salary-wise, and whether or not Antonio was right to question the contract that Brady had put on the table for him.

The 36-year-old did end up finding a new club when it was all said and done - after training with Championship pair Leicester City and Charlton Athletic, Antonio headed to Qatari outfit Al-Sailiya on a short-term deal, where he played just the four times before becoming a free agent again, but it proved that someone was willing to give him a chance at first-team level, rather than stick him in an under-21s squad as an overage player.

Back in the same position now though without a club, Antonio could either continue playing or make a full-time move into punditry - if he chooses the former and finds a club, then he'll be looking to make Brady eat her words.