Italian veteran Cesare Prandelli has joined Watford's shortlist to replace departing head coach Walter Mazzarri in the top job at Vicarage Road.

The 59-year-old has been out of work since he walked out at Valencia in December after only 10 games, having rapidly grown exasperated by behind-the-scenes woes at the Mestalla.

He previously led Italy to the finals of Euro 2012, seeing off a stoic England along the way, but handed in his resignation letter two years later after the Azzurri were dumped out of World Cup 2014 in the group stages.

Prandelli's greatest success came amid the beauty of Florence, leading Fiorentina to fourth spot in Serie A on two occasions, and earning himself the Italian top flight's manager of the year gong in 2008.

Should he land the Watford job, he will want to avoid a repeat of an ill-fated stint at Galatasaray in 2014, where players took to the Turkish press to criticise his management style and he became known for chopping and changing his tactics.

Marco Silva remains Watford owner Gino Pozzo's number one choice to become the club's new head coach, but there is no guarantee the Portuguese manager would accept an offer from Watford.