Watford wins the Marco Silva sweepstakes
Amid reported interest from both Porto and Crystal Palace, in-demand bench boss Marco Silva was named as the new manager of Watford on Saturday, the 39-year-old tactician signing a two-year deal at Vicarage Road just days after leaving Hull City.
Related: Marco Silva leaves Hull 'in order to further his career'
"Marco was one of the most sought after Head Coaches in the Premier League," Watford chairman Scott Duxbury said.
"His pedigree and promise speaks for itself with his achievements in top divisions elsewhere across Europe, as well as his work at Hull City last season."
He added: "It’s an exciting time to be a Watford fan, and I’m sure all supporters will join me in offering Marco and his family the warmest of welcomes to Vicarage Road."
Silva took charge of a Hull side in disarray in January, and while he ultimately couldn't help the Tigers avoid relegation, he earned plaudits for his impressive work in nearly guiding the club to safety.
1.2 - Marco Silva averaged 1.2 points per game in the Premier League, the best rate of any Hull manager. Buzzed. pic.twitter.com/1OK97g9gIM
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 27, 2017
Silva, who spent time managing Estoril, Sporting Lisbon, and Olympiacos before his five-month stint at the KCOM Stadium, replaces Walter Mazzarri on the Watford bench.