West Ham’s Michail Antonio move stalls – because Nottingham Forest want whole

West Ham have had an improved bid for Nottingham Forest winger Michail Antonio accepted by the Championship club.

Forest are understood to have previously rejected offers for the 25-year-old from Derby County, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham themselves.

But talks have broken down and sources close to the player are not confident a deal can be struck ahead of the transfer deadline.

He has most impressed while at the City Ground, having arrived from former club Sheffield Wednesday in a £1.5m deal.

The London-born forward has been keen to move and was left out of the Forest squad recently by manager Dougie Freedman following the bid from Derby, with Freedman insisting he was not in the right frame of mind to play.

Antonio managed to get a goal in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Cardiff City, it appears to be his last goal in Forest colours.

Antonio has expressed a desire to play in the Premier League but his chances of doing that in the immediate future are now fading.

The Hammers had offered around £5million plus Matt Jarvis on a season-long loan deal.

The former Reading and Southampton starlet netted 15 goals during his maiden campaign for the side, and has continued the good form with four strikes already this campaign.