Sanchez Flores on the verge of being reunited with Jurado

Evidence that Quique Sanchez Flores is stamping his own mark on Watford’s Premier League squad is set to be confirmed when Jose Manuel Jurado is named as the club’s eighth summer signing.

Sanchez Flores worked with the forward in Real Madrid’s youth set-up and then again at Atletico Madrid, most notably when introducing Jurado as a second-half substitute in the Europa League final win over Fulham in 2010. At 29 and with the ability to operate in the pockets of space in the final third of the field, Jurado would be exactly the kind of player Sanchez Flores was speaking about earlier today when he said: “We know that in this position [in front of the two holding midfields yet behind the No 9] we need players to play in that position [behind the lone striker], players who can play wide, players who can keep the ball, who can turn and who can give service for the strikers.”

The signing would also be significant as it would represent the first recommendation he has made to Gino Pozzo to be sanctioned, further evidence the head coach and owner are in unison.

“[We speak] almost every hour,” Flores said. “We are working very hard to to try and get in new players because I need to keep the squad from last year and bring in new players to help us achieve high performance in the Premier League.”

Sanchez Flores does not speak publicly about players outside of his squad but told the Spanish press he was fighting a losing battle to keep hold of the attacking midfielder in 2010 when Schalke came calling.

“Selfishly, I want to keep all members of my squad, and I have to say that I understand that the offer [from Schalke of €15m] is good,” he said in 2010.

Jurado completed his big-money move to Schalke, where he played with Raul and lined up against Sebastian Prodl who was at Werder Bremen. But, after he was labelled a ‘Problem Child’ by Bundesliga Fanatic, the former Spain Under-21 international was shipped out on loan to Spartak Moscow two years later before signing permanently for the Russians in 2013. And now, according to a Russian website, is bound for the Premier League.

“The Spaniard will continue his career in Watford,” reads a translated version of a story. “Officially, the transfer will be announced shortly.”

The fee could conceivably get close to the £6million Watford paid for Etienne Capoue as Jurado is in the prime of his career and still has two years left of the deal he signed two summers ago. He current salary is reported to be €2.7m a season. Given the lengthy deals agreed with Prodl, Gabriele Angella, Troy Deeney, Craig Cathcart and Matej Vydra, it is likely he will sign a deal with Watford between three to five years.

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