New West Ham signing Michail Antonio has revealed how his mum blocked attempts by Tottenham to sign him as a 14-year-old.
Antonio, 25, joined the Hammers on transfer deadline day from Nottingham Forest for a fee of £7 million.
But the winger admits he could have wound up in the north east of the capital had his mother not intervened.
Born in Wandsworth, Antonio caught the eye of London scouts and was offered a trial by Spurs before his mum put the blockers on their pursuit in the fear it would affect his school work.
“When I was 14 I had a trial for Tottenham,” he told the Mirror. “They were thinking of signing me but my mum said no. She said education comes first.”
“Did I hate her at the time? You couldn’t imagine. I was crying and all sorts.
"It’s one of those things, I had to travel to north London and I’d probably get home at midnight every night and I had school the next day, she said 'no it’s not do-able'. If it was south, then maybe.”
But, albeit by a longer route, Antonio has found his way to Premier League – and with an education to boot.
His career has taken him from Tooting and Mitcham United to Southampton, Sheffield Wednesday before Forest and his subsequent move back to London, where he arrives with a diploma.
“But it was the best thing she has done for me,” he continued. “I managed to get my diploma in sport, so it’s one of those things where everything happens for a reason and now I’ve finally got here and I can’t complain. And she’s buzzing about me joining West Ham!”
