The Hornets are set to complete the signing of former Juventus wing-back Marco Motta, the Watford Observer understands.

Motta left Juventus at the start of the month after failing to make a single appearance for the club this season and is understood to have already linked up with the Golden Boys squad.

The 28-year-old, whose agent claimed he turned down a move to Norwich City last summer, has been capped once by Italy and can play at left or right wing-back.

Motta began his career at Atlanta and impressed in his debut season at the club. That resulted in a co-ownership move to Pozzo-owned side Udinese in 2005.

He was used sparingly in his first two campaigns with the Little Zebras and spent the 2007/2008 season on loan at Torino.

Motta returned to Udinese the following year and made 27 Serie A appearances. He also played in the Europa League and Champions League qualifiers.

Another co-ownership deal resulted in Motta spending the 2009/2010 campaign at Roma. Udinese won the player’s contract at the end of the campaign in a blind auction and then loaned him to Juventus.

That deal was made permanent the following summer but Motta was quickly surplus to requirements and spent the next two seasons on loan at Catania and Bologna respectively.

He returned to Juventus in the summer of 2013 but made just two appearances for the club. Another loan move followed in January 2014, this time to Genoa, for whom he played 13 games.

Motta started this season back at Juventus but failed to make another appearance for the club before he was allowed to leave on a free transfer at the start of February.