Watford have confirmed the signing of forward Mauro Zarate from Fiorentina.

The 29-year-old Argentine has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal at Vicarage Road, as Walter Mazzarri seeks to reinforce the Hornets with a player who has scored two goals in seven Serie A appearances this season.

Zarate, who began his career with Velez Sarsfield, first appeared in England's top flight during a loan spell at Birmingham in 2008, when he scored four times in 14 appearances.

He later arrived at West Ham in 2014, netting seven goals from 29 games, followed by a loan spell at QPR a year later.

Zarate, who won the Coppa Italia at Lazio in 2009, will compete with the likes of Troy Deeney, Isaac Success and Roberto Pereyra for a place in the Watford attack. Striker Odion Ighalo has been heavily linked with a move to West Brom.

Mazzarri's team, who visit Millwall in the FA Cup on Sunday, are 14th in the Premier League, eight points clear of the relegation zone.