Michail Antonio targeting shock West Ham return THIS SEASON after nearly dying in car crash as striker returns home from warm-weather training camp

The 34-year-old was involved in a serious accident in Epping, Essex, on December 7, which left him trapped inside his vehicle. Emergency responders had to assist in his release before he was rushed to a London hospital for treatment. Scans revealed that Antonio had sustained a lower leg fracture, sidelining him for a lengthy period. His recovery has been closely monitored, and after nearly a month in the hospital, he was discharged to continue rehabilitation at home.

According to Standard, in an effort to accelerate his rehabilitation, Antonio travelled to Dubai on February 7 for a specialised training program. His focus in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been on gym-based exercises, including weight training and controlled loading work, designed to rebuild his strength and mobility.

After spending two weeks in the Middle East, Antonio is now set to leave Dubai this weekend and return to the UK. Once back in England, he will continue his rehabilitation with West Ham’s medical team, hoping to step up his recovery in a bid to make a late-season return.

Antonio is not the only West Ham player who has been working on his fitness in Dubai. His teammate Niclas Fullkrug also made the trip to the UAE but trained separately as he focused on recovering from a hamstring injury. The German striker suffered the setback just 13 minutes into new manager Graham Potter’s debut match - a 2-1 FA Cup third-round defeat against Aston Villa last month. Fullkrug has since returned to the UK ahead of Antonio and continues to undergo treatment in the hope of returning to full fitness soon.

The Hammers are winless in their last four Premier League matches and their next test comes on Saturday against title contenders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.