Monchi joins Espanyol, says he is where he has been shown affection | OneFootball

Monchi has been appointed Espanyol’s new general sporting director, confirmed 48 hours after the league meeting with Sevilla, closing down speculation over a return to Andalusia.

The move followed weeks of negotiations. He will lead the technical area, working with CEO Mao Ye Wu and president Alan Pace, who helped persuade him to join. Radio Marca Sevilla reports that recent contacts from Sevilla’s current leadership and potential buyers did not become a concrete offer.

For Espanyol, the hire marks an organisational step up and is viewed as a long-term strategic piece. Hints had already surfaced after he was seen in the presidential box at the RCDE Stadium.

In a social media message, he thanked Alan Pace for making the move possible. He said he is where he has been shown affection from the first minute and where there is belief in his ideas, adding that when given that affection he must give everything in return.

Sevilla are left with a clear void in their sporting leadership, and ties with Monchi had broken before he signed for the Catalan club. Accepting the Espanyol challenge also moves him away from constant rumours of a return, magnified by the emergence of Sergio Ramos.

Source: La Colina De Nervion