MADRID - Spanish football club Granada has fired coach Juan Antonio Anquela and replaced him with Lucas Alcaraz.

Alcaraz returns to the club where he began his coaching career in 1995, flying in from Thessaloniki, where he worked at Aris until Tuesday. He coached then third-tier club Granada until 1998.

The Andalucian club is currently in 17th place in the standings with only five wins from 21 games this season after Monday's 3-0 loss at Sevilla.

Alcaraz has also coached Spanish clubs Almeria, Recreativo Huelva, Racing Santander, Murcia and Cordoba.

Granada also says it has signed 26-year-old forward Manuel "Nolito" Agudo from Benfica. Nolito said it had been a tough deal to negotiate but that he had "always wanted to play at Granada."

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