Giuseppe Sannino has claimed there has been contact from Watford over succeeding Gianfranco Zola and he is flying to England “to understand if something can be born”.

Sky Sports are reporting comments the 57-year-old former Palermo and Chievo boss has made to an Italian radio station.

Sannino is reported to have told Radio Sportva: “Me to Watford? I don’t want to say too much, but there has been some contact and soon I will fly to England to analyse things and to understand if something can be born.

“I always want to be working in the field and I always want new challenges.”

Zola brought down the curtain on his time at Vicarage Road yesterday after 18 months in charge following a nine-game run without a win in the Championship, including five straight home defeats.

Sannino is now a strong odds-on favourite to succeed his Italian counterpart.