The former Madrid target loaned out to the UAE at 30 years old

"I'm proud of the interest from Madrid," said a 21-year-old Mauro Zarate in 2009 who had broken into the team at Lazio in Serie A.

Eight years later, Zarate never managed to replicate the sparkling start to his football career in Europe and will end his career at Al-Nasr in the UAE Arabian Gulf League after failing to convince at Watford.

Zarate's career has always been characterized by big bursts. After breaking through in his native Argentina at Velez Sarsfield, he spent a short period in the Qatari league after Al-Sadd offered the Argentinian side a sizeable fee for the youngster in 2007.

After an erratic spell at Al-Sadd, he was loaned to Birmingham City, where he regained his best form and was eventually transferred to Lazio. It was there where he experienced his best years and even seemed like a possible signing for Real Madrid, among other top European clubs.

But a loan spell at Inter followed and it did not work out for Zarate and he returned to Lazio and Velez looking to recuperate the form of his early career. West Ham then offered him another chance, but he didn't settle with the East London side and was loaned to QPR before being signed by Fiorentina.

He joined Watford in January but he couldn't replicate his best form for the Hornets, partly due to an ACL injury, but now Al-Nasr have decided to take a punt on the 30-year-old. He has arrived on a loan deal from the Premier League side and will hope to hit his best form in Asia.