Premier League: Watford sign forward Mauro Zarate

Premier League side Watford have confirmed the transfer of Fiorentina forward Mauro Zarate on a two-and-a-half-year contract. The two clubs have not disclosed the transfer fee but reports in the Italian media claim the English club have paid 2.5 million euros. The Argentinian forward has already played in the Premier League at Birmingham City, West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers, but never managed to produce the impact that was expected from a player of his talent. Mauro Zarate, aged 29, had a journeyman career so far, moving from Argentinian side Velez Sarsfield to Qatari outfit Al-Sadd at the start of his career. He first arrived in England back in 2008 when he joined Birmingham on loan and scored four goals in fourteen appearances. The best period of his career was at Serie A club Lazio, he remained there for five seasons and won the Italian Cup in 2009. Then he moved on, first at Inter Milan on loan, then back to his boyhood club in Argentina, before joining West Ham in 2014. He was sold back to the Serie A at Fiorentina in January 2016. He is the second player to join Watford during this January transfer window after the Hornets have secured the loan of Everton midfielder Tom Cleverley earlier this month. Watford are currently 14th in the Premier League table, eight points above the relegation zone, after failing to win any of their last seven league matches. They have scored just 25 goals in 22 games so far this season, and only ten goals away from home. They are 7/1 at Bet365 to get relegated from the Premier League this season.