Michail Antonio training with EFL club as West Ham icon, 36, closes in on English football return two years after crash

MICHAIL ANTONIO is training with Watford and could earn a return to English football. The veteran forward, 36, has not played a senior club match in this country since his terrifying car crash in December 2024. Michail Antonio is still keen to play in England and has been training with Watford Credit: Reuters Antonio, 36, has not played senior club football in England since his 2024 crash Credit: Getty Antonio was released by West Ham at the end of the 2024-25 season but played for their Under-21s on a non-contract basis during the following campaign. He subsequently had a trial at Leicester, although a deal did not come to fruition. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! The Conference League winner then came close to joining Brentford, although the transfer collapsed after he tore his calf. Antonio, who signed for Qatari side Al-Sailiya in March and played four times before being released, is now aiming to impress new Watford boss Alessio Dionisi. According to the Watford Observer, the Jamaica international could earn a deal should he do well in training. The Hornets kick off their Championship campaign this Sunday as they host Southampton. BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Earlier this year, Antonio revealed how difficult he has found it to get back into English football since his crash – after which he was trapped in his Ferrari for 45 minutes then airlifted to hospital and treated for multiple leg fractures. He told the BBC: “I had to swallow my ego – that’s how I ended up at Brentford. I trained with them for two weeks. Most read in Football “When I found out I’d torn my calf the day before signing for Brentford, I laid in bed for two days. “First day, I was just crying. The second day, I just didn’t want to get out of bed. I thought ‘I’m back where I want to be, I’m back in the Premier League’. And then it happened again with Leicester. “I was meant to return to Leicester but they didn’t want me back in because they didn’t want a relapse on their books. So I trained alone for a week and then went into Charlton.” Comment now