Zarate slams Hammers role after Viola move

Zarate, who has courted controvery both on and off the pitch at several clubs in England and Italy, joined La Viola on a two-and-a-half-year deal last week for a reported fee of around 2.1million euros.

The 28-year-old said he decided to join the Florence-based club after being given assurances about his role by Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa.

At Upton Park, Zarate -- who has had previous spells in Italy with Lazio and Inter Milan -- said he was played out of position by Bilic.

"I'm happy to be back in Italy with a great team, and to show how I can play," the 28-year-old told media at his official unveiling.

"It's a good chance for me to get back on track. In England, it was good because English football is enjoyable, but I wasn't too comfortable with my role at the club and that's why I decided to come here.

"I prefer to play in a free, attacking role, one that allows me to roam. I've already spoken with Sousa and he has assured me I'll have that."

Zarate made his Fiorentina debut at the weekend when he came off the bench to replace striker Nikola Kalinic eight minutes from the end of a 2-0 home win over Torino.

But fans of the club will now be hoping Sousa made the relevant enquiries about the player before his signing.

Zarate has a reputation for exciting and disappointing fans in equal measure, and for controversial incidents off the pitch.

Regular goalscoring feats endeared him to Lazio fans in a remarkable first season with the club in 2008-2009 but Zarate caused controversy when he was pictured giving a fascist salute while watching Lazio lose to Bari in 2010.

Zarate moved to Inter on loan in August 2011 but with just three goals in 29 games in all competitions he returned to Lazio for the following season.

Used sparingly by former coach Vladimir Petkovic, Zarate sealed his fate when he flew his family to the Maldives for a holiday after telling the club he had flown to Argentina for treatment on a skin condition.

He was fined 500,000 euros by Lazio and returned to Argentina, where he signed for Velez Sarsfield despite still being under contract with Lazio.

After a complaint by the Italian club, FIFA ruled Zarate and Velez were liable to share the costs of over 5million euros in compensation.

He signed a three-year deal with West Ham in May 2014 and marked his debut with a superb, 20-yard volley in a 3-1 win away to Crystal Palace.

After the goals dried up, he was loaned out to QPR in January 2015. When he hit out at being left out QPR's matchday squad for an away game at Liverpool in May 2015, Zarate was ordered to make his own way back to London, banned and fined two weeks' wages.

He returned to West Ham in time for their Europa League qualifying campaign earlier this season and despite a positive start to the campaign, scoring goals in wins against Arsenal and Chelsea, he was again deemed surplus to requirements.