Arsenal are the favourites to appoint highly rated Monchi as their new director of football.
Monchi – real name Ramón Rodriguez Verdejo – is current the sporting director at Roma, but is being widely linked with a move away from Italy, with Arsenal, who are looking for a replacement for recently departed Head of Recruitment, Sven Mislintat, said to be in prime position to land the 50-year old Spaniard.
He is under contract with Roma until 2017 and has a release clause in his contract of £2.6 million according to The Evening Standard, which separate reports indicate Arsenal are prepared to meet.
Monchi previously worked with Unai Emery at Sevilla, and is said to be keen for a chance to be united again and to work in England.
The Gunners want somebody in place as soon as possible as they plan for a busy summer in the transfer window, with a number of players expected to be shifted out at The Emirates to make way for new arrivals.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.