Watford have announced they have appointed former Rubin Kazan manager Javi Gracia as Marco Silva’s successor on an 18-month deal.
The Hornets announced Silva’s departure on Sunday morning following a poor run of form that has left them only five points above the bottom three.
Watford blamed Everton’s ‘unwanted approach’ for Silva as the reason behind their severe slump but have acted quickly in getting a new manager in at the club.
“Watford FC is delighted to announce the appointment of Javi Gracia as the club’s new head coach,” a statement read on the club’s official website.
“The experienced 47-year-old, who has signed an 18-month contract with the Hornets, has previously coached clubs in his native Spain as well as Greece and Russia.”
The 47-year-old has been out of work since leaving his post as Rubin Kazan manager at the end of last season, but built an impressive reputation during his two years at Malaga before that.
Gracia inherits a side that have lost eight of their last 11 Premier League matches and with only three home league wins all season.
