Michail Antonio: Former West Ham striker will move to Watford

Watford have announced the free transfer of former West Ham United striker Michail Antonio.

The 36-year-old last featured for the Hammers in their 3-1 defeat to Leicester City on December 3, 2024, before breaking his leg in a car crash four days later.

Antonio last played for Qatari club Al Sailiya in April and made a total of four appearances for the club. He has been training with Alessio Dionisi’s Hornets for the past month and signed him to a one-year contract.

“Watford is a big club and hopefully I can come to them and bring success and help wherever I can.” Antonio reported this to the club website., external

The deal for the Jamaica international was announced ahead of international clearance, which will allow him to be included in the squad for Saturday’s home league match with Stoke City.

After Antonio was released by the Hammers in June 2025 after a 10-year spell, he returned to the club as part of his rehabilitation and played two games for the under-21s in Premier League 2.

He trained with Leicester City last December and was also close to a move to Brentford but suffered a torn calf muscle the day before he was due to sign for the Bees, scuppering the deal.

Prior to his move to West Ham in September 2015, Antonio played in the league for clubs including Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest.

Antonio, who will wear the number 18 shirt at Vicarage Road, will become Watford’s 12th signing of the summer.

The Hornets sit 12th in the league, having won two, drawn two and lost two of their first six games under Dionisi.