Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at 6:35 PM• Jordi Tomasowa

Javi Gracia is the new trainer of Leeds United, the club announced through the official channels. The 52-year-old coach succeeds Jesse March, who left at the beginning of February the Whites was dismissed due to disappointing results. Gracia, who has been without a club since leaving Qatari top side Al-Sadd in June last year, signs a contract until the end of the season.

Leeds’ last league victory dates from November 5, 2022. The team of Pascal Struijk and Crysensio Summerville is currently in a disappointing 19th place with 19 points from 23 matches. Last Saturday, Interim manager Michael Skubala lost 1-0 to relegation competitor Everton. The gap to the safe seventeenth place is currently two points.

Gracia is going to work in the Premier League for the second time. The Spaniard was previously manager of Watford for more than a year and a half. Gracia knew the Hornets in the 2018/19 season from relegation and also reached the final of the FA Cup. Previously he was in charge of Valencia, Rubin Kazan and Málaga.

In the search for a new manager, Leeds also ended up with Arne Slot earlier this month. The English had the Telegraph three million euros left to hire the Feyenoord trainer. However, the offer was immediately rejected by the Rotterdam club management. Alfred Schreuder was also in the picture at Leeds. The trainer fired by Ajax would have been a top candidate after Slot’s cancellation. Due to a difference of opinion between the club owners, his arrival was eventually canceled.