Marti Cifuentes has discussed the 35-year-old, who has been training with the group at Seagrave and could get his return to club football with City, a year on from his car crash
17:06, 18 Dec 2025Updated 17:07, 18 Dec 2025
Michail Antonio, pictured in action for West Ham, has been training with Leicester City(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Leicester City remain in discussions over a potential deal for striker Michail Antonio with manager Marti Cifuentes speaking increasingly positively about the former West Ham forward.
Antonio is still training with City while talks take place over a potential contract for the 35-year-old.
He scored consistently at Premier League level over a number of years but has not played a senior club match in 12 months since breaking his leg in a serious car crash.
Cifuentes has spoken positively about his fitness previously and it seems, from his perspective, that there is plenty Antonio can bring to the City squad.
Now it’s a matter of getting the deal right for both the club and the player.
“He has been training with us and we are having a look and soon we will probably take a decision,” Cifuentes said at his press conference on Thursday afternoon.
“It would not make any sense that he was here if there was not interest from both sides. But this is always a negotiation and a conversation between two parties.
“He’s aware he could do a good job for us here. We think he could help us if he’s ready to help us and that’s what we’re discussing at the moment.
“We need to agree if we can do that, if we want to do that, if both parties feel happy to do it. I wouldn’t call it a trial. It’s more about getting to know each other and being aligned for the next (step) if it’s going to happen.
“He’s a player that has 17 years of experience of professional football. I don’t think anyone will be surprised by his quality or his level. At the same time, for the last year he has not been competing.”
City have three strikers in their squad already, but Patson Daka, who has only netted once this season, is now away with Zambia at the Africa Cup of Nations, while Julian Carranza is yet to get on the scoresheet since his loan arrival from Feyenoord.
Jordan Ayew is the top scorer of City’s three strikers, but of his four goals, two have come from the penalty spot.
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