The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Maurizio Sarri

  • Watford’s Gracia named Premier League manager of the month

    Watford Manager Javi Gracia has been named August’s Premier League manager of the month after guiding the club to a winning start this season.

    Watford recorded three wins out of three in August, beating Brighton and Hove Albion, Burnley and Crystal Palace.

    “I am very pleased. “We are enjoying (it). You never know what will happen,” Gracia told the Premier League website on Friday.

    “Don’t look only at the end of the road. Try to enjoy day by day. Try to enjoy the very good atmosphere; the workers who are helping us, the supporters in all the games are amazing.

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    “I think altogether we can achieve very good things.”

    Their 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend ensured Gracia’s side are the first in the club’s history to record four straight wins at the start of a top-flight campaign.

    It is Gracia’s first Premier League manager of the month award and the second to be won by a Watford boss after Quique Sanchez Flores in December 2015.

    He beat Liverpool’s Juergen Klopp, Spurs’ Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri to the award.

    Watford is one of the three Premier League teams with a 100 per cent record this season, alongside Liverpool and Chelsea.

  • Bilbao’s Kepa pays 80m euro release fee

    Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has paid his 80 million-euro (71.9 million pounds) buy-out clause to break his contract with the Spanish side, ahead of a reported move to Chelsea.

    The 23-year-old is expected to sign for the Premier League side on Wednesday, with current goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois poised to move to Real Madrid.

    “La Liga has confirmed to us that Kepa Arrizabalaga has fulfilled the requirements for the unilateral termination of his contract with Athletic Club,” said Bilbao in a statement.

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    “(He has ended) the relationship that linked him to us since the 2004-05 season and the amount of compensation established in the contract has been deposited.”

    At 80 million euros, Arrizabalaga will become the most expensive goalkeeper in football history, ahead of Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, who moved from AS Roma for 75 million euros earlier in the transfer window.

    After being strongly linked to Real Madrid, Arrizabalaga signed a new deal with Bilbao in January which raised his release fee to 80 million.

    Chelsea Coach Maurizio Sarri praised Arrizabalaga on Tuesday night.

    “I saw (Kepa) one year ago. My first impression was that he is a very good goalkeeper, very young but very good,” said the Italian.