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Colchester have signed Watford striker Gavin Massey on a three-year contract.

The 19-year-old has returned to the League One club on a free transfer after playing eight games during a loan spell last season.

"Gavin is young enough to develop further and we saw a lot of promise last year in his play," manager John Ward told the club's website.

"He can now settle himself down and develop that promise into something more formidable."

Watford are Massey's home town club, and although he made nine first-team appearances as a substitute at Vicarage Road, his chances of more opportunities this season faded following the appointment of Gianfranco Zola as manager and the arrival of eight new signings.

"Things have changed a lot at Watford over the past few months and so we made an enquiry about his services and have now come up with this deal," Ward added.