Ex-Watford boss Sanchez Flores moves to Shanghai Shenhua

Heading to Shanghai: Former Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores

Shanghai (AFP) - Former Watford, Benfica and Atletico Madrid boss Quique Sanchez Flores has been named head coach of Chinese Super League (CSL) Shanghai Shenhua.

Shenhua issued a statement welcoming the Spaniard and his coaching team, who are due to arrive in Shanghai on Friday to prepare for the new CSL season beginning on March 1, 2019.

”(We) hope they will get familiar with the team as soon as possible through winter training, instil their football techniques and tactics in the players and help the young players in the team grow faster,” Shanghai Shenhua said in a post on China’s Twitter-like Weibo Tuesday.

The club’s former Chinese coach Wu Jingui will move to the role of sporting director at the club. Wu led the team to win the Chinese FA Cup in 2017.

Sanchez Flores, 53, was sacked by Espanyol in April. In the 2016-17 season he led the Catalans to eighth place in La Liga, as high as they have finished in a decade.

The former Valencia right-back previously managed Watford, and reportedly rejected a return to the English Premier League earlier this season with Stoke City.

Sanchez Flores will bring a five-strong backroom team to Shanghai, including assistant coaches Antonio Diaz and Dean Austin.