Javi Gracia

SIMON JONES: The former Watford manager is free after leaving Qatari club Al-Sadd and is understood to be willing to accept a short term contract.

Leeds are in the bottom three and face another six pointer with Southampton this weekend. The club had been willing to stick with Michael Skubala for the rest of the campaign Leeds had been willing to leave Michael Skubala in interim charge after failing to find their preferred candidate to replace

The Spaniard has been called a 'serious candidate' as Leeds continue their pursuit of a replacement for Jesse Marsch.

Another Leeds fan, though, believes Gracia would be a good start to staying in the Premier League, saying: "Didn’t do bad at Watford, during the spell they sacked mangers for losing one game. Is there no end to this soap opera and a poorly written one at that?" He has a lot of experience. Why don't we all just flood Elland Road with applications as we surely can't be any worse than the clowns in charge already. Has prem experience. Ex-Watford boss that's a 'serious candidate' for Leeds United manager vacancy](https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/who-javi-gracia-ex-watford-26284764)

Leeds United are in talks with Javi Gracia over their vacant manager's position as they look to finally replace Jesse Marsch.

Leeds have another huge relegation six-pointer to play next when they host the Premier League's bottom side Southampton on Saturday. And having already lost to fellow relegation candidates Everton, another one could be seriously costly. However, it appears as though the nightmare could finally be coming to an end with Gracia. They report that the Spanish manager is keen to take on the job, but Gracia remains the favourite. It is believed he is willing to return to management to help Leeds retain Premier League status. Caretaker manager Michael Skubala has remained in the hot seat since, steering the club through two games against Manchester United - and drawing one - while also losing to Everton.

Former Watford manager Javi Gracia has emerged as an option for the Leeds United head coach's job ahead of the West Yorkshire club's crunch clash against ...

[Rayo Vallecano](https://theathletic.com/football/team/rayo-vallecano/)’s Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot. [Valencia](https://theathletic.com/football/team/valencia-cf/), Malaga and Rubin Kazan. [Watford](https://theathletic.com/football/team/watford/) manager Javi Gracia has emerged as an option for the [Leeds United](https://theathletic.com/football/team/leeds-united/) head coach’s job ahead of the West Yorkshire club’s crunch clash against [Southampton](https://theathletic.com/football/team/southampton/) this weekend.

Former Watford head coach who took them to 11th in the Premier League and the 2019 FA Cup final is available after losing his job in Qatar.

However they were rebuffed in their efforts to hire Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola, despite being prepared to pay the €7 million (£6.2 million) compensation to release him from his contract. He is interested in a return to English football. [ who had hoped to hire Marsch but could not agree a deal](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/02/15/southampton-talks-jesse-marsch-break/), on Saturday and may well have a new manager in place by then. [Carlos Corberán was never a candidate for the job ](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/02/07/next-leeds-manager-carlos-corberan-signs-new-west-brom-contract/)with the Spaniard having signed a new contract with West Bromwich Albion after the links surfaced. [to name a successor to Jesse Marsch](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/02/15/leeds-uniteds-chaotic-search-successor-jesse-marsch-shows-muddled/), particularly after losing [Saturday’s league game at Everton](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2023/02/19/leeds-hurtling-towards-relegation-return-bielsa-isnt-stupid/) which left them in the bottom three. [he is the “calibre” of manager the relegation-threatened club are considering](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2018/09/13/watfords-secrets-success-yoga-firm-discipline/).

The Spaniard has become the newest bookies' favourite for the vacancy at Elland Road after reports have claimed he's 'in talks' with the Whites.

His one season at Osasuna resulted in relegation but he remained in La Liga with Malaga. Gracia spent a season in Russia at Rubin Kazan and then replaced Marco Silva as Watford boss after several months out of work. You always knew here your team-mate was and he got the best from everyone. Gracia drew the curtain on his playing days at Cordoba, and amassed 229 top-flight appearances across a career spanning 15 years. Gracia transformed Pontevedra into promotion challengers but he narrowly fell short during his two seasons at the helm. People watched and thought it was lucky but it wasn’t luck. "There is one thing that surprises me: he’s not someone who moans, who would seek conflict. I didn’t know Javi at all before and I was hugely impressed." The Italian journalist also noted that Gracia is a 'serious candidate' for the role, and is on a shortlist with just one other name for the Elland Road job. They subsequently lost 6-0 against Manchester City at Wembley, and as is often the case at Watford, Gracia was sacked after a poor start to the following campaign. He then returned to the second-tier and immediately won promotion back to La Liga at Villarreal. Here we take a look at the latest manager to be linked with a move to Elland Road.

SIMON JONES: Former Watford manager Gracia is one of two names under consideration by Leeds but Rafa Benitez is not in the running as he is holding out for ...

The club had been willing to stick with Michael Skubala (right) for the rest of the campaign but sporting director Victor Orta (left) feels they need more experience to avoid relegation [Liverpool](/sport/teampages/liverpool.html) boss, is not in the running as he is holding out for a different project. but Rafa Benitez is NOT in the running for the job as he is holding out for a different project

Former Watford and Valencia head coach, Javo Gracia is one of two managerial targets for The Whites, with Fabrizio Romano reporting talks between the Leeds ...

Gracia averaged 1.32 points per game with Watford, overseeing 66 matches. The 52-year-old reached the Leeds United are now in talks with Javi Gracia as potential new manager, he’s serious candidate for the job to replace Jesse Marsch ⚪️— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano)

LEEDS have opened talks with Javi Gracia in a bid to finally end their managerial search.The ex-Watford boss, 52, is one of two names under considerat.

[Saturday’s 1-0 loss to relegation rivals Everton](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21413583/everton-leeds-live-score-stream-watch-premier-league-online/) plunged the Elland Road club to 19th in the table. [BETTING SPECIAL - BEST FOOTBALL BETTING SITES IN THE UK](https://www.thesun.co.uk/betting/20574123/best-football-betting-sites/) [Rafa Benitez](https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/rafa-benitez/), though, is not in the running for the vacant post. [Gracia](https://www.thesun.co.uk/who/javi-gracia/), 52, was at Watford between January 2018 to [September 2019 and guided the club to Prem survival](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/9917678/var-javi-gracia-fans-players-faith/) as well as the FA Cup final. [Premier League](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/premierleague/) experience to guide them to safety. [replace the sacked Jesse Marsch](https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/21292928/jesse-marsch-sacked-leeds-relegation-premier-league/).

Former Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Everton boss Rafael Benitez is interested in the Leeds job, talkSPORT understands.However, the post is more l.

He also won the FA Cup during his time at Anfield. Following their 1-0 loss to Everton on Saturday, Leeds sit second from bottom in the Premier League, two points from safety and at risk of returning to the Championship following their promotion in 2020. Benitez’s most recent post saw him return to Merseyside to manage Everton in the summer of 2021, however, he was relieved of his duties in January 2022 after just six-and-a-half months in the job.

The former Watford shot-stopper has spoken about how Gracia is likely to setup at Elland Road if he's appointed.

"We're blessed with the type of players who can play that way, and not every team can do it. But the main thing is work-rate: There's a lot of high-intensity running, closing down and closing the space. "He is very big on pressing and pushing higher up the pitch, and that suits us because we've got the players to do it. He's calm, not a ranter and raver, and the players appreciate that. "The lads have bought into his ideas and he puts it across really well. READ MORE:

Javi Gracia will be confirmed as Leeds United's new manager on Tuesday as the Yorkshire club's search for Jesse Marsch's successor finally concludes.

Gracia kept Watford in the Premier League and took them to the FA Cup final back in 2019 Gracia guided Watford to Premier League safety and took them to only the second FA Cup final in their history. - He kept them in the division after a relegation fight and reached FA Cup final

Leeds United are set to confirm the appointment of former Watford boss Javi Gracia as their new head coach. The West Yorkshire club renewed their search for ...

[Rayo Vallecano](https://theathletic.com/football/team/rayo-vallecano/)’s Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot. [Valencia](https://theathletic.com/football/team/valencia-cf/), Malaga and Rubin Kazan. [Everton](https://theathletic.com/football/team/everton/) on Saturday, with a crunch clash against [Southampton](https://theathletic.com/football/team/southampton/) looming this weekend.

Javi Gracia is set to be offered the Leeds job, talkSPORT understands.The Premier League club hope that the former Watford boss will be in the dugout.

Following their 1-0 loss to Everton on Saturday, Leeds sit second from bottom in the Premier League, two points from safety and at risk of returning to the Championship following their promotion in 2020. However, after avoiding the drop zone in 2018/19, Gracia was sacked by the club just one month into the following season, leaving his side bottom of the Premier League with just one point from their first four league matches. The Premier League club hope that the former Watford boss will be in the dugout for their crunch clash with Southampton this weekend.

Andoni Iraola, Alfred Schreuder, Carlos Corberan and Arne Slot were all considered but Leeds are now set to turn to a short-term option in Gracia - who kept ...

- Andoni Iraola: 25/1 “Rene Maric, Cameron Toshack and Pierre Barrieu will also leave the club. A Leeds statement read: “Leeds United can confirm head coach Jesse Marsch has been relieved of his duties.

The Spaniard looks set to appointed Jesse Marsch's successor at Elland Road following the American's sacking earlier this month.

Gracia looks set to be in charge in time for Saturday’s crunch game with Southampton at Elland Road on Saturday. His expected appointment will end a lengthy search for Marsch’s replacement, with the club having been linked with Andoni Iraola, Arne Slot and Alfred Schreuder. Marsch was sacked earlier this month after a defeat at Nottingham Forest, with under-21s manager Michael Skubala placed in interim charge for the last three games.

Leeds are poised to appoint the former Watford and Valencia head coach Javi Gracia as the successor to Jesse Marsch on a deal to the end of the season.

[defeat at Everton](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/18/everton-leeds-premier-league-match-report) on Saturday and turned to Gracia after failing to land other targets. The head coach of the Under-21s, assisted by Paco Gallardo and Chris Armas, oversaw a home draw and an away defeat against Manchester United before the Everton match. He was at Watford from January 2018 until September 2019, reaching the 2019 FA Cup final but was dismissed after a poor start to the following season.

Leeds United are set to hire former Watford manager Javi Gracia, and it is safe to say fans of rival clubs don't have much hope for them surviving the drop ...

[Premier League](https://www.dailystar.co.uk/latest/premier-league) if they lose to fellow relegation rivals Southampton on the weekend. He also went on to take over the reins at Valencia, but his time with the Spanish giants was ended after only one season. Under-21s coach Michael Skubala has been holding the fort as caretaker manager since Marsch’s departure. Gracia also guided the Hornets to the 2019 FA Cup Final, but was sacked four matches into the following campaign after only taken one point. The Spaniard has been a free agent ever since he left Qatari side Al Saad in June last year. Their managerial search was shifted into another gear after their 1-0 away defeat to Everton on the weekend.