Watford has officially signed former West Ham striker Michail Antonio on a free transfer, marking his return to English football after a hiatus.

At 36 years old, the Jamaica international last played in England in December 2024 after a short spell with Qatari side Al-Sailiya. During his illustrious 10-year career at West Ham, Antonio became the club's record Premier League goalscorer with 68 goals, but a broken leg from a car accident cut his tenure short.

Antonio expressed optimism about his new role at Watford, stating:

"It’s a good set of boys here. They are focused and ready to show their abilities this season. Watford is a big club and hopefully I can come in and bring success and help wherever I can."

He also mentioned his past success against Watford, hoping to replicate that by scoring for them soon.

Having signed a one-year contract at Vicarage Road, Antonio is awaiting international clearance to play in Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship home match against Stoke. Watford currently sits 12th in the league, with eight points from their first six matches, including two wins, two draws, and two losses.

In contrast, Antonio’s former club, West Ham, is performing well, sitting second in the table with 11 points. They aim for an immediate return to the Premier League and have upcoming fixtures against Wrexham and Fulham before facing Millwall.

As Watford looks to climb the standings, Antonio's experience could be pivotal in their quest for promotion.