Leeds United ‘target’ £22m playmaker as ex-Watford striker backs ‘instant success’ for Javi Gracia

Javi Gracia appears to have already handed Leeds United a huge boost in retaining their Premier League status as they picked up their first win in over three months against Southampton.

The Whites now sit a point above the relegation zone and will now turn their focus to the FA Cup tomorrow evening as they take on Fulham. A win against the Cottagers would be the first time they have progressed past the fifth round of the competition since the 2002-03 season.

Here are the latest news headlines from Elland Road...

Leeds Utd ‘target’ playmaker

Leeds United are interested in signing Inter Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu, according to Fichajes. The midfielder has made 23 appearances in Serie A this season but has only netted twice, with the club sat second in the league table.

Calhanoglu’s will have a year remaining on his contract in the summer and could well be on his way out of Inter to avoid him going for cheap next season, with the Italian giants setting a £22 million price tag for his signature. The report claims that Southampton are also chasing the 29-year-old, though both teams’ pursuit will heavily depend on whether they can avoid relegation.

Calhanoglu could be a huge signing for Leeds United if they stay up given his impressive reputationa cross Europe. The playmaker has enjoyed spells with both Milan clubs, as well as Bayer Leverkusen, bagging over 200 goal contributions across his senior career. Calhanoglu helped Inter to the Coppa Italia and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies since joining the club in June 2021.

Javi Gracia to be ‘instant success’

Birmingham City’s Troy Deeney has backed Javi Gracia to be an ‘instant success’ at Leeds United. The striker played under Gracia during his time at Watford, with the Spaniard guiding them to a mid-table finish and helping them reach the 2019 FA Cup final.

Writing in The Sun, Deeney said: “Javi Gracia will have instant success at Leeds. I really do believe that. I go back to my time at Watford when he was manager. He came in and replaced Marco Silva in January 2018 with a very quick turnaround.

“Imagine what he can do now at a huge club with a very good team. And that’s what he has with the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, a contender for Young Player of the Year at the end of the season, the American boys Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie and winger Jack Harrison.

“The fact Javi has accepted this flexible contract, and taken on 100 per cent of the risk, it shows you the kind of man he is. And when good things happen to good people, you can’t help but like it. I have been texting him recently and he is really excited and so grateful for the opportunity. I follow quite a lot of Leeds pages on Twitter because my dad used to be a fan back in the day, so I have a vested interest. I said to Javi that if there was anything I could do to help, even if it is just getting him to understand just how big the club is.”

Gracia’s sacking by Watford in 2019 came as a huge shock given his success prior to a disappointing start to the campaign and he has since gone onto manage Valencia and Al Sadd.