Watford sign Marco Cassetti from Pozzo-owned Udinese

Watford have signed veteran centre-back Marco Cassetti from Serie A club Udinese on a season-long loan.

The 35-year-old is the ninth player to join the Hornets since the Pozzo family took over the club and Gianfranco Zola was appointed manager.

And he is the seventh to arrive from either Udinese or Spanish side Granada, clubs also owned by the Pozzos.

Cassetti's previous clubs include Lecce and Roma and he won five caps for Italy between 2005 and 2008.

He was the first Lecce player to win full international honours but when they were relegated from Serie A, he moved on to Roma.

Able to play in central defence or at right-back, Cassetti subsequently collected two Coppa Italia winners' medals and played in the Champions League.

However, injury problems restricted his first-team opportunities and he was released by the Rome side at the end of last season.

Udinese never revealed his signing before sending him out to Watford on loan.