Ex-West Ham striker Antonio joins Watford
September 11, 2026 15:04
Watford have signed former West Ham striker Michail Antonio on a one-year contract, the club announced. The 36-year-old Jamaican joined the Hornets after spending the past month training with Alessio Dionisi’s squad and will wear the number 18 shirt.
The move is subject to international clearance, which Watford say would allow Antonio to be included for Saturday’s Championship home game against Stoke City.
KEY CONTEXT
Antonio left West Ham in June 2025 after a decade at the club. His last senior outing for the Hammers came in early December 2024; days later he suffered a broken leg in a car crash. After that spell he had short playing time overseas, making four appearances for Qatari side Al-Sailiya, and he has been rebuilding his fitness since — including a brief return to West Ham to play twice for their under-21s in Premier League 2. He also trained with Leicester City in December and was close to joining Brentford before a torn calf muscle halted that move.
WHY IT MATTERS
The signing brings an experienced forward with extensive EFL and Premier League background into Watford’s squad. Antonio’s immediate availability depends on receiving the necessary clearance, and his arrival is Watford’s 12th addition of the summer amid a start to the season under Dionisi that has yielded two wins, two draws and two defeats from six Championship matches.
WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Whether international clearance is granted in time for Antonio to be eligible for the Stoke City game.
- How quickly he integrates into Dionisi’s squad after a period of rehabilitation and limited recent club minutes.
- How Watford deploy him, given his experience across English football and the club’s ongoing summer recruitment.
KEY FACTS
- Antonio is 36 and a Jamaican international.
- He signed a one-year deal with Watford and will wear number 18.
- The move is pending international clearance for immediate match eligibility.
- He made four appearances for Al-Sailiya after leaving West Ham and played twice for West Ham’s under-21s while rehabbing.
- Watford are 12th in the Championship after six matches and this is their 12th signing of the summer.