Report: Watford homing in on loan deal for Fiorentina's Zarate

Mauro Zarate could be moving to England for a third time.

Watford is "confident" of snapping up the Fiorentina forward on loan with an option to buy, according to The Mirror's John Cross, in an effort to address Walter Mazzarri's misfiring strikeforce.

Odion Ighalo has struggled to reach the scoring form he showed in spells last season, leaving much of the attacking burden on the hefty shoulders of captain Troy Deeney, or the guile of Etienne Capoue.

It would be the third time Zarate, 29, has plied his trade in Blighty, after a temporary stint with Birmingham City in 2008, and a one-and-a-half-year stay with West Ham United from 2014 which included a short loan at Queens Park Rangers.

Since moving to Florence in January 2016, the Argentinian has struggled to hold down a first-team place, mustering just one league start in the current campaign. In 40 career appearances in the Premier League, Zarate has nine goals and two assists.

Watford is on a concerning run of six top-flight matches without a win, and travels to Bournemouth in Saturday's slate of fixtures.