Arsenal have been dealt a blow in their search for a new technical director with the news that top target Monchi has decided on a return to Sevilla.
The 50-year-old was a leading candidate after his exit from Roma, via mutual agreement, was confirmed earlier this month.
The Spaniard emerged as one of the top names being considered for the newly created role, in the wake of Sven Mislintat’s departure.
The former head of recruitment had initially been seen as a candidate for technical director, but Monchi was seen as one of the few football figures in Europe with a reputation equal to that of Mislintat for finding players, and would represent another coup.
But he has instead chosen to return to the club where he spent 29 years as a player and then a key member of the backroom team.
Monchi played as a goalkeeper for Sevilla and retired in 1999 aged only 30. He went on to spend 17 years as sporting director at Los Rojiblancos before joining Roma in 2017.
At Sevilla, Monchi helped to discover Dani Alves, Jesus Navas, Sergio Ramos and Jose Antonio Reyes, while Roma have signed Cengiz Ünder, Ante Ćorić, Justin Kluivert and Nicolò Zaniolo under his watch.
Gunners manager Unai Emery previously worked with Monchi at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium and said earlier this season that he worked “very well” with his compatriot.
“I worked very well with him in Sevilla for three and a half years and my relationship with him is good,” Emery said. “He is a good person and a good professional. I can say he is working in Roma and this issue is the club’s responsibility.”
But he has instead chosen to return home to Spain in what will be a blow to Arsena's plans going forward.
Former player Marc Overmars, currently at Ajax, is said to be one of the new frontrunners for the role.
