Michail Antonio joins Watford on one-year deal after West Ham exit

Watford have signed former West Ham United forward Michail Antonio on a free transfer, with the 36-year-old agreeing a one-year contract. BBC Sport reported that the Jamaica international had spent the past month training with Alessio Dionisi's side before the deal was announced, making him the club's 12th signing of the summer.

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Antonio's availability for Saturday's Championship match at home to Stoke City remains subject to international clearance. The announcement does not therefore guarantee his inclusion in that squad. He will wear number 18 at Vicarage Road and told Watford's website that he hoped to contribute to the club's success and help wherever he could.

The move follows a lengthy period of recovery and attempts to secure a new club after his West Ham career. Antonio's last senior appearance for the Hammers came in a 3-1 loss to Leicester City on 3 December 2024. Four days later, he suffered a broken leg in a car crash. West Ham subsequently released him in June 2025 after a decade with the club.

Despite that departure, Antonio returned to West Ham during his rehabilitation and made two appearances for their under-21 team in Premier League 2. BBC Sport also reported that he trained with Leicester last December. A potential move to Brentford fell through when he tore a calf muscle the day before he was due to sign, adding another interruption to his efforts to resume his career.

His most recent playing spell was with Al-Sailiya in Qatar, where he made four appearances and last played in April. Watford now bring him back to the English Football League, where he previously represented Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest before joining West Ham in September 2015. The one-year agreement follows his month working with Dionisi's squad.

Watford sit 12th in the Championship after six matches under Dionisi, with two wins, two draws and two defeats. Antonio joins a squad that has already undergone substantial recruitment this summer, but the immediate question is whether clearance will arrive in time for the Stoke fixture. His signing is confirmed; his involvement in that match is not.