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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Tom Cavilla

Michail Antonio responds to Everton transfer links and delivers relegation verdict

Michail Antonio has stressed he is remaining committed to West Ham United despite speculation surrounding his future at the club.

The 32-year-old has been a key player for the Hammers in recent times, hitting double figures for Premier League goals in each of the previous three seasons, but has fallen down the pecking order following the summer signing of Italian forward Gianluca Scamacca.

Antonio has started only eight of West Ham's 18 Premier League fixtures and it has been recently suggested the London club are 'open to offers' for the striker, should they be able to source a replacement. This development is said to have 'alerted' Everton as Frank Lampard looks to strengthen his forward line.

READ MORE: Frank Lampard has quietly raised 'alarming' Everton transfer question with double decision

READ MORE: Everton Shareholders Association call for 'vote of no confidence' in club board

Asked to provide clarity on his future amid growing speculation, the Jamaica international said: "There are always rumours in football. People have seen I have not been playing much recently and they've seen that we've been struggling. It's one of those things where all I do is pay attention to myself and make sure I can play whenever I get the opportunity.

"My agent deals with all that and if something happens, something happens. Right now, I'm at West Ham and I have to pay attention to that. If something changes, it changes. We've got a striker in and are maybe looking at other strikers because, right now, we're not doing it.

"If they [West Ham] don't want me or Gianlucca [Scamacca], they are going to try and get someone out or they might want to have three options. You have to deal with whatever comes your way and that's how I stand with it. I want to play football, and that's all I care about."

Everton will take on West Ham this weekend, in a fixture of great significance for all concerned. Both teams are in the bottom three going into the game, but Antonio has claimed David Moyes' side are not contemplating the prospect of relegation as they look to turn the tide.

"The pressure has been mounting since the beginning of the season. We always wanted to be back up there and try to stay in the European spots. We honestly believe we're not going to get relegated, it's just about picking up form. We are not looking back," he told the Footballer's Football Podcast.

"Going from Wolves to Everton, these games are big because they are all around us. The lucky thing for us in the league is from 20th to 11th, there is around five points in it. It's ridiculous. The first few teams to pick up form will get out of it."

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