Michail Antonio says West Ham team-mate ‘is not a fighter’ as striker reveals why £35m transfer flop will NEVER fit in
MICHAIL ANTONIO reckons he knows why team-mate Gianluca Scamacca has flopped since his £35million West Ham transfer.
Scamacca, 24, joined the Hammers last summer in a high-profile move from Serie A side Sassuolo.
Life at the London stadium started well for the striker as he netted regularly in the Europa Conference League but struggled for consistency in the Premier League.
His season was cut short with a knee injury which has sidelined him since April.
Scamacca netted five times in the early rounds of the Hammers’ European campaign.
But he scored just three domestic goals as David Moyes‘ side flopped into a shock relegation battle.
And West Ham stalwart Antonio claims the Italian striker is “not a fighter” and will always struggle under combative boss Moyes.
He said on the Filfthy Fellas YouTube Channel: “He is actually quality, he is a quality player.
“The problem is, he can not play the way the manager wants to play.
“He needs a different type of manager who will let him play with players to come off him and stuff like that.
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‘You see that, the ball comes to him, and it sticks.
“But with David Moyes, you have to feed off scraps, be a fighter… and he’s not that.”
One of the reasons behind Scamacca’s arrival at the club was Moyes’ ambition to turn the Hammers into a more possession-dominant side.
But struggles in the league and other players not adapting to the club saw the plan go out the window.
Scamacca has now been linked with an exit from West Ham, with a move back to his native Italy the most likely destination for him this summer.
Inter Milan has been touted as a potential destination for the Italian international as they eye him as a replacement for the ageing Edin Dzeko.