The Hornets are currently speaking to three different men about the vacant head coach position and one of those is ex-Brighton & Hove Albion manager Oscar Garcia, the Watford Observer understands.

The Golden Boys have been looking at potential replacements for Beppe Sannino for several weeks after the Italian’s future was placed in serious doubt.

Sannino resigned as head coach today, with the 57-year-old aware that his position was becoming close to untenable.

The three candidates for the job have already held talks with Watford, including Garcia, and we understand a replacement is likely to be confirmed before the end of next week.

The Golden Boys’ next game is not for almost two weeks due to the international break.

Former Newcastle United and Norwich City manager Chris Hughton was one of the candidates who was being seriously considered two weeks ago but last week we were told he was no longer in the running.

We are currently unsure who the other two candidates are.

Garcia began his coaching career in 2009 as part of former Barcelona manager Jordi Cruyff’s staff on the Catalonia national side.

He then spent two years coaching in Barcelona’s Academy before taking the role as head coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2012.

He spent one season with the Israeli club but it was a successful one as he guided the side to the league title.

However, he resigned at the end of the campaign, citing personal reasons for his departure.

His success in Israel caught the attention of Championship club Brighton and they appointed Garcia as head coach in June last year.

He spent one season with the Seasiders. They finished sixth in the league and reached the play-offs. But they were beaten in the semi-finals by Derby County and the Spaniard resigned on May 12.

He rejoined Maccabi again at the start of June but his second spell with the club lasted less than three months as he resigned once more on Tuesday.

The club stated Garcia’s departure was down to the current security situation in Israel. The county is currently in the eighth week of a military campaign in the Gaza strip. 

Read more about Sannino's resignation here.