In his first season at Upton Park, unsurprisingly, West Ham manager Slaven Bilic was active in the transfer market, bringing in players such as Michail Antonio.
The 28-year-old joined the Hammers from Nottingham Forest on the deadline day of the 2015 summer transfer window in a deal supporters were pleased with.
@whufc_official @Michailantonio @Official_NFFC boom
— Tom (@tomwillatswhu) September 1, 2015
https://twitter.com/kyesmh/status/638729683790659584
@whufc_official @Michailantonio @Official_NFFC yesssssss!!!!! #COYI
— Ryan ⚒️⚒️⚒️⚒️ (@Ryan_97WHU) September 1, 2015
@whufc_official @Michailantonio @Official_NFFC Boom!
— Direct Hammer (@Direct_Hammer) September 1, 2015
@whufc_official @Michailantonio @Official_NFFC yessss
— FIFA16 PS4 WAGERS! (@players_extinct) September 1, 2015
@whufc_official hero
— (@M_D_R_97) 1 September 2015
And while Antonio initially made a slow start to life as a West Ham player, he eventually managed to tie down a regular spot in Bilic’s starting XI after an array of solid performances.
By the end of the 2015/16 Premier League season, Antonio had finished it with eight league goals, which he managed to better the campaign after having found the back of the net on nine occasions with his aerial prowess often proving to be too much to handle for defenders.
On top of that, what Antonio has also provided this West Ham squad with since arriving in east London is versatility and an abundance of energy.
As a result, Bilic, David Moyes and Manuel Pellegrini have all utilised the former Nottingham Forest man in different positions and in various way.
With the arrival of Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko over the summer, though, Antonio is no longer an automatic starter.
However, he still has plenty to offer and, overall, has been a useful addition to the east London club.
