Watford sign Michail Antonio on free transfer | OneFootball

Watford have completed the free signing of former West Ham United forward Michail Antonio, the club confirmed. The 36-year-old returns to English football after a short spell in Qatar, looking to help the Hornets climb the Championship table.

Antonio arrives as a free agent after leaving Al Sailiya earlier this year, where he made only four appearances. He links up with Alessio Dionisi’s squad and is eager to contribute once fully up to speed.

The forward became a modern icon for supporters at the London Stadium during a decade with West Ham after joining in September 2015, posting 83 goals and 43 assists in 323 appearances.

His final months there were overshadowed by a serious single-vehicle collision in December 2024, when his car struck a tree in Epping Forest. He spent three weeks in a central London hospital and required surgery on a lower limb fracture. In March 2025 he reflected on the psychological toll, describing embarrassment and an unsettling visit to see the wreckage.

Now fully recovered and keen to prove he can still compete at a high level, Antonio profiles as a low-risk, high-reward addition. Watford are 12th in the Championship with eight points from their opening six fixtures.

A reunion with West Ham will have to wait, as the clubs have already drawn 1-1 on 29 August. The return fixture is scheduled for April.

Source: Goal.com

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