Arsenal's hopes of appointing Monchi as
the club's sporting director
have been given a big boost after it emerged
the 50-year-old was set to leave Roma on
Friday.
Monchi has always been Arsenal's first choice
to come in to work alongside head of football
Raul Sanllehi at the Emirates, with the club
keen to see him link up once again with Unai
Emery.
The pair enjoyed a hugely successful period
together at Sevilla, with the Spanish club
winning three successive Europa League
titles.
Monchi moved to Roma in 2017 as director of
football and still has two years left on his
contract in the Italian capital.
He was expected to leave in the summer,
however, with Arsenal the likely destination -
but that move could now be fast-tracked
after reports emerged that the
Spaniard was to leave his post
by mutual consent on Friday.
Sky Italy reporter Gianluca Di Marzio
claims that it was decided during a meeting
on Thursday that Monchi would follow
Eusebio Di Francesco out the door, the Roma
coach who was sacked following the club's
Champions League exit to Porto earlier in the
week.

And it was after that game in Portugal, which
the hosts won 3-1 in extra-time to go through
4-3 on aggregate, that Monchi seemed to
first reveal that he was set to leave Roma.
Confronted by some angry fans at the airport
in Portugal, the Spaniard was angered by
some of the abuse that came his way -
responding ‘in six months, I’ll take on each of
you one on one.’
That was taken by many as confirmation that
he will no longer be connected with the club
once the current campaign comes to an end.
His comments came the day after he was
absent from a pre-game lunch in Portugal
that was set up by the boards of both Roma
and Porto.
He decided to remain with the players at the
team hotel instead, with some sections of the
Italian media claiming it was a clear sign that
he has no intention of remaining in his post
beyond the summer.
But now it appears he will be leaving Italy far
sooner, with a move to Arsenal now looking
almost certain.
Speaking in January about the prospect of
working with Monchi once again, Emery said:
"I worked very well with him in Sevilla for
three and a half years and my relationship
with him is good.
“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.”

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