Javi Gracia admitted that a desire to play regularly may make Andre Gray consider leaving Watford in the summer.

The club’s record £18.5 million signing has barely featured under Gracia and has endured a testing maiden season at Vicarage Road, scoring four times in 30 outings.

While Gracia says Gray remains in his plans, he accepts the need to play more often may mean a decision on his future has to be made in the summer transfer window.

“We will see at the end of the season if he prefers to change club, because he needs to play more and we can speak about it,” Gracia said.

“In this moment, I will say I am very happy with him even if he is playing less minutes than others. I am happy with his behaviour and attitude.”

A season ending injury for Stefano Okaka has left the door ajar for Gray to get some more game time in the final three games of the campaign.

He is likely to have to force Troy Deeney out of the starting XI to do so, however, but Gracia says the striker has every chance of playing regardless of the fitness of other players.

“Andre has been working hard all season and maybe if other players are not in the best condition he will have a chance to play, but we will see,” the head coach said.

“I do not want to tell you that Andre Gray only has a chance to play depending on other players because he has qualities to play independent of what other players are doing.”

Those qualities, it would seem, do not correlate with the ones Gracia favours in a striker and Gray has had to make do with Premier League cameos since the Spaniard took over Watford.

Regardless, Gracia says he has been pleased with Gray’s efforts and believes the 26-year-old has plenty to offer Watford.

He said: “Every player has different qualities but when I had other options like Troy or Stefano I played more with other strikers.

“I have to say, Andre always kept a good level of behaviour, I do not know when he will have more minutes to show how he can play, but we will see.”