Javi Gracia convinced Leeds he was the man for the job by picking apart Graham Potter’s Chelsea defeat to Southampton

JAVI GRACIA reportedly convinced Leeds bosses to appoint him as their new manager after he analysed Chelsea’s defeat to Southampton.

The former Watford head coach, 52, was confirmed as the West Yorkshire club’s successor to Jesse Marsch on Tuesday afternoon.

His first game in charge is set to come at home to Saints on Saturday afternoon.

And, according to The Athletic, Spaniard Gracia won Leeds chiefs over with a presentation about Southampton’s victory over Chelsea.

James Ward-Prowse’s free-kick handed the struggling south-coast side a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge as Blues boss Graham Potter came under even more scrutiny in the dugout.

Meanwhile, managerless Leeds’ loss to relegation rivals Everton sparked the club into action as they contacted Gracia within 48 hours of the result.

And he was quick to reassure them he was up to the task by showing in detail how Southampton got the better of Chelsea.

Gracia returns to the Premier League four years after being sacked by Watford.

He guided the Hornets to an 11th place finish and an FA Cup final in the 2018/19 campaign.

But just four games into the following season he was dismissed after 21 months in charge.

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Since then he has had spells at Valencia and Qatari side Al-Sadd.

But Gracia has been a free agent following his departure from the Middle East last summer.

Now he has agreed a “flexible contract” with Leeds “subject to obtaining the necessary work permissions”.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk