Watford land former West Ham and QPR bad boy Mauro Zarate to add more sting to Hornets’ Premier League attack
Argentine playmaker had troublesome spells at West Ham and QPR but is back in England's top flight
WATFORD have landed former West Ham and QPR bad boy Mauro Zarate to boost their frontline.
The 14th-placed Hornets have only scored 25 Premier League goals this season, with struggling clubs below them Swansea and Crystal Palace having scored more.
The 29-year-old has moved back to England from Fiorentina on a two-and-a-half year deal, after scoring two goals in just seven Serie A appearances – and only one of those a start.
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Walter Mazzarri needs more goals after they dried up for last season’s superstars Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo.
Watford hero Deeney only has five top-flight goals so far, after grabbing 13 in the previous campaign and Ighalo’s form has dipped even more dramatically with just one goal this season, after 15 during the 2015-16 season.
The Hammers snapped the forward up in June 2014 but after just half a season he was shipped out on loan to struggling QPR with Sam Allardyce not happy with his efforts.
At Rangers he failed to start a single match and played just 71 minutes from the bench during a disastrous spell under Harry Redknapp.
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Just weeks after he arrived in West London, the Rs tried to send him back as his fitness was so poor but rules meant they were stuck with him.
In May 2015 he discovered in the Anfield away dressing room that he failed to make the squad to play against Liverpool and stormed out and was fined two weeks wages.
The talented playmaker will link-up with fellow new face Tom Cleverley who has moved to Vicarage Road from Everton on loan.
The attacker also had a loan spell with Birmingham, when they were in the Premier League in 2008.