Michail Antonio has vowed to make a return to high-level football as he continues to recover from December’s horrific car crash which left him with a serious leg break.

Antonio, who turns 35 later this month, had to be taken to hospital after the gruesome crash, which kept him hospitalised over Christmas before he was discharged to continue his recovery. Unsurprisingly, he will not return for West Ham United this season.

Sitting down with BBC Sport for the first interview since the accident, Antonio admitted he is determined not to bid farewell to his playing career.

“I shattered my femur bone in four different places,” he explained. “I had one single keyhole surgery. They put a pole in my thigh with four bolts, so screws and bolts to knit it back together.

“My first surgeon said he didn’t want me to put any weight on my leg for three months, which is around about now, and you can see that I am walking. We got a second specialist who said I needed to start putting weight on it, increasing from 10% up to 100% within three weeks.

“But I kept my crutches for a further two weeks. Overall, they say it will be between six to 12 months before my leg starts healing properly.

“100%. I will play again. That’s what I am focused on and why I am working six days a week. I’ve always been positive from this situation. It’s a horrendous accident, and it’s a massive injury.

“It’s the biggest injury I’ve ever had in my career. But the fact that I’m already two to three months ahead of where I should be, I know that I’ll play again, and I know that once I’m playing the game I’ll get the sharpness back.

“I was one of the quickest at West Ham. So my body wasn’t the body of a 34-year-old before I had the accident anyway. I can still be sharp and still do the business.

“People have always doubted me. My mental strength is something that I’ve always believed in and this is just another setback, and it is not going to stop me.”

Reflecting on the severity of the accident, Antonio admitted only truly understanding the full extent when he was taken to see what remained of his car weeks later.

“My leg was completely shattered and they got me out and put a splint on it by the side of the car,” Antonio continued.

“Everyone believed I got an air ambulance out, but the helicopter couldn’t get off the ground because of the storm, so I was driven to the hospital.

“[Seeing the wreckage] gave me a weird feeling in my stomach. It just made me realise how close I was to dying. I had seen the pictures but it was ten times worse in person. The car was an absolute mess. It was difficult for me.”