Aston Villa’s President of Football Operations, Monchi, has spoken to Spanish media on his time at the club so far, and what it’s like to work with Unai Emery again.
It’s been an outstanding season for Aston Villa, who are in touching distance of claiming Champions League football for next campaign, with European silverware still on the table for Unai Emery to grasp.
The Spaniard will lead his side into the second leg of the Europa Conference League quarter-final tomorrow evening, taking a one-goal lead to LOSC Lille to have one foot in the final four of the tournament.
Considering that the former Arsenal boss took charge of the Midlands club when the side were in 17th, it’s been an emphatic turnaround at Villa Park in all areas, with things strengthened once more last summer with the arrival of Monchi.
The renowned figure in Spanish football was appointed as Villa’s President of Football Operations in the summer, joining from his home club of Sevilla after two successful spells at the side.
Read more about Monchi here
The summer transfer window epitomised what Monchi can bring Villa for years to come in grasping a high calibre of talent and now, the Spaniard has opened up on his first season in Birmingham.
Monchi discusses his first season at Aston Villa and working with Unai Emery
Speaking to Spanish outlet ElDesmarque, Monchi admitted that he is ‘super happy’ to be at Villa, expressing his delight with how the season has gone so far.
“Super happy, super happy and very excited about this final stretch of the season.
“This season we have played in Europe and next season we are going to play again, although we don’t know what yet.”
The 55-year-old was reunited with Emery at Villa, whom he worked well with at Sevilla and spoke highly of his countryman’s work so far at Villa Park.
“We have a great coach and he is capable of getting the best out of any squad. And ours, which is very good, is performing at a very high level.
“We deserve what we are doing because we have worked very hard and hopefully in this final stretch we will be able to finish what has been a very good season.”
As well as touching on the footballing success that Villa have achieved this campaign, Monchi expressed that he shares a similar personal desire to succeed in England with the club.
“To consolidate myself there, to contribute what I can, at a different level to what I had here in Sevilla, but I’m very happy. Absolute happiness.”
Monchi and Unai Emery are building something special at Aston Villa
The duo worked exceptionally well together at Sevilla, and seem to have picked up where they left off in the Midlands.
Monchi’s work at Sevilla earned him the stature that he has in world football as a sporting director, orchestrating renowned European transfers and showing off an outstanding business model that never compromised standards on the pitch.
The Spaniard’s early work at Villa shows a similar style, with him recently being praised by journalist John Townley for his capture of Morgan Rogers, who has excelled at the club since arriving in January, read more here.
It will be particularly interesting to see how the former goalkeeper decides to play the 2024 summer transfer window, with financial boundaries needing to be met alongside developing Emery’s squad to accommodate the next phase of the journey.
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