manager Javi Gracia before the match
Leeds United will hand Javi Gracia a permanent full-time contract at Elland Road if he keeps the club in the Premier League, according to Jeremy Cross.
The Lowdown: ‘Flexible’ contract
The Whites officially unveiled Gracia as their new head coach on Tuesday afternoon, over two weeks after parting ways with Jesse Marsch.
The club said in their announcement that the 52-year-old ‘has agreed a flexible contract at Elland Road’. Gracia’s first match in charge will hopefully be against Southampton on Saturday, should he obtain a work permit in time.
The Latest: Long-term option
Cross, chief sports reporter for The Daily Star, shared a story shortly before the announcement on Leeds and Gracia.
He said that Gracia will indeed be handed a deal until the end of the season, but ‘with an agreement to make it permanent should he keep the club in the top flight.’
The Verdict: Makes sense
Gracia is used to short stints at clubs during his managerial career, averaging just under a year at each side, as per Transfermarkt.
Therefore, this move by Leeds appears to make sense, especially as he already has experience in the Premier League with Watford.
Giving Gracia a flexible short-term deal that could materialise into a full-time stay is the best of both worlds, as a new coach was absolutely needed based on the evidence of the performance at Everton, but the club does not want to be forced into paying off another boss if things go awry.
Hopefully, he’ll exercise that clause in Yorkshire after keeping them in the top flight over the coming months.
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