Javi Gracia says he is proud to be part of Watford’s long-term future after Scott Duxbury revealed the Spaniard will sign a new contract at Vicarage Road next week.

After weeks of speculation surrounding Gracia’s future, Duxbury broke the news of his new deal to a fans forum on Wednesday night.

For Gracia the extending his contract, which sees him become the first Watford boss to renew terms since Malky Mackay, is a moment to savour.

“We reached an agreement for the next years which I will sign next week,” Gracia confirmed. “I am happy because I think it is good for me and the club.

“As a coach you always depend on results, but, in this moment, all I can say is I am proud to be part of this project not only for a year but for a long time.

“I am happy here and my staff are as well. We try to do our job to help improve our team.”

It is understood that Gracia will put pen to paper on a three-year extension, which represents considerable reward for a fine first 11 months at the Vicarage Road helm.

After arriving in the wake of Marco Silva’s ill-fated tenure, the Spaniard helped turn Watford’s season around by keeping the club in the Premier League last season and has masterminded a flying start to this.

A host of Watford players have spoken about the influence Gracia has had since arriving at the club and he believes continuity is key to helping the Hornets progress.

He said: “This stability is good for the players. Now we need to keep working hard because it is the only way we can keep this good moment going. We know we need to do our best always.”