Watford have confirmed the signing of Adam Masina from Bologna.

The left-back put pen to paper on a five-year contract which will tie him to the club until the summer of 2023.

He becomes the club’s fourth signing of the summer after the arrivals of Gerard Deulofeu, Marc Navarro and Ben Wilmot and adds all important competition on the left-hand side of defence.

The Italian, who was born in Morocco, has represented his country at Under-21 level and joins the Vicarage Road outfit with 99 outings for Bologna to his name.

He helped the club gain promotion from Serie B in 2015, picking up the league’s Player of the Year award in the process.

The 24-year-old arrives on the back of a season in which left-back has provided a number of problems as Jose Holebas and Marvin Zeegelaar struggled for consistency.

Holebas played the majority of the club’s games as Zeegelaar toiled to get used to the demands of football in the top tier of English football.

The Greek international was handed a two-year contract extension in January, but, with the former Roma man now 33, the hope will be that Masina can offer a genuine long-term alternative for the Hornets.

Watford are understood to have paid £3.5 million to secure Masina's services.