Espanyol Sporting Director Monchi Advocates for Talents in England’s Championship
Espanyol sporting director Monchi has emphasized the need for Spanish clubs to pay more attention to England’s Championship, labeling it as one of football’s “least understood” competitions and a promising source of talent. The former goalkeeper recently returned to Spain after spending two years as president of football operations at Aston Villa, following his tenure as sporting director at Sevilla and Roma.
Espanyol, based in Barcelona, finished 11th in La Liga last season and is one of the oldest clubs in Spain, established in 1900. Monchi highlighted that scouting talent from the English second tier is part of a larger strategy to tap into markets where Espanyol can effectively compete, given the financial constraints facing many Spanish teams.
The club has a unique link to the Championship, as its ownership group, led by Alan Pace, also owns Burnley. Monchi shared his views with BBC Sport, stating, “I think the Championship is one of the least understood competitions.” His experiences in England and subsequent observations have revealed a wealth of talent within the league.
He cited Morgan Rogers, who transitioned from Middlesbrough to Aston Villa in 2024 and became an England international before completing a £117 million transfer to Chelsea this summer, as an example of the quality emerging from the Championship. “That is just one example, but I could give many more,” Monchi remarked, praising the league’s competitive nature, high-quality coaching, and rigorous demands.
In July 2025, Espanyol signed Tyrhys Dolan from Blackburn Rovers after five seasons in the Championship, and the club has also secured Netherlands international Quilindschy Hartman on loan from Burnley.
For Espanyol, the Championship symbolizes more than a mere scouting opportunity. The structure of La Liga imposes squad-cost limits on Spanish clubs, whereas Premier League teams enjoy greater financial resources. Monchi acknowledged, “We cannot do everything we would like to do, but we do what we can,” recognizing the need for clubs like Espanyol to find markets where intelligent recruitment can mitigate their financial disadvantages.
With a close connection to the English game through his involvement with Burnley, Monchi has maintained a keen interest in the UK football scene. He explained that his time at Aston Villa reshaped his understanding of modern football operations, underscoring the effective separation between the sporting and business aspects of clubs.
His tenure at Villa allowed him to witness successful club strategies, especially the synergies formed with management and fan engagement. He expressed, “There was very good synergy throughout the club, a strong relationship with the ownership and a close connection with the fans.”
Monchi’s most unforgettable moment at Villa was when the team qualified for the Champions League after nearly 40 years, a significant achievement, alongside reaching the semi-finals of the Conference League and progressing to the Champions League quarter-finals in the following season.
His approach to player recruitment has also transformed over his 25-plus years in the role, with the advent of data and artificial intelligence playing a crucial role. Monchi stated, “We no longer rely solely on scouting reports and subjective assessments, but also on the support provided by big data, artificial intelligence and data analysis in general.” For Espanyol, this means merging data-driven recruitment practices with local market insights gathered throughout his career in Spain, Italy, and England.
Despite the close geographical proximity to Barcelona, Monchi believes Espanyol should focus on its own growth rather than being compared to their city rivals. “Espanyol have to focus on themselves,” he asserted, aiming to return the club to a position reflective of its historical prominence.
Monchi’s aspirations include restoring Espanyol’s standing in Spanish football, underlining that the club possesses ample history and a legacy to reclaim. Their immediate goal is to surpass last season’s league performance and solidify their current project, while fostering a long-term belief in the potential to rise within La Liga.
As Spanish clubs continue to overlook the talents within the Championship, Monchi suggests that this league could play a pivotal role in Espanyol’s roadmap to future successes.
Espanyol sporting director Monchi believes Spanish clubs should be paying closer attention to England’s Championship, describing it as one of football’s “least understood” competitions and an increasingly attractive source of talent.
The former goalkeeper has returned to his native Spain after two years as president of football operations at Aston Villa, having previously held sporting director roles at Sevilla and Roma.
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Barcelona-based Espanyol, who finished 11th in La Liga last season, are one of the oldest clubs in Spain, having been founded in 1900.
Monchi says seeking out talent in the English second tier is part of a broader strategy to tap into markets where Espanyol can compete, despite the financial restrictions imposed on Spanish clubs.
Espanyol have a connection to the Championship – as the club’s ownership group, led by Alan Pace, also owns Burnley.
“I think the Championship is one of the least understood competitions,” Monchi told BBC Sport.
“Having lived in England for two years and worked with Aston Villa, and now continuing to follow the competition because of Burnley, I can say that there are some very good players there.”
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The 57-year-old Spaniard points to Morgan Rogers as one example of the talent who came through the Championship.
Rogers joined Aston Villa from Middlesbrough in 2024 after a spell in the second tier and went on to become an England international before completing a £117m move to Chelsea this summer.
“That is just one example, but I could give many more,” Monchi said.
“I think it is a competition with an extremely high level of competitiveness, very good coaches and intense demands. It is an excellent place to discover talent.”
Tyrhys Dolan joined Espanyol from Blackburn Rovers in July 2025 after five seasons in the Championship, while the Spanish club have now signed Netherlands international Quilindschy Hartman on loan from Burnley.
Tyrhys Dolan spent five years with Blackburn before joining Espanyol on a free transfer [Getty Images]
‘I cannot avoid keeping an eye on the UK’
For Espanyol, the Championship represents more than simply a scouting opportunity.
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Spanish clubs operate under La Liga’s squad-cost limits, while Premier League clubs have considerably greater financial resources.
Monchi therefore believes clubs such as Espanyol have to identify markets where intelligent recruitment can compensate for a spending disadvantage.
“We cannot do everything we would like to do, but we do what we can,” he said.
“It is true that we are at a disadvantage compared with some Spanish clubs, and particularly compared with clubs in England, Italy or Germany.
“However, we have to be imaginative, work hard and look for alternatives.”
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The link between Espanyol and Burnley gives Monchi a close connection to the English game.
“I cannot avoid keeping an eye on the UK,” he said.
What England taught Monchi
Monchi’s two years at Aston Villa also changed his perspective on how a modern football club should operate.
He particularly admired Villa’s clear separation between the sporting and business sides, while maintaining strong relationships between ownership, staff and supporters.
“There was a very clear distinction between the business side and the sporting side,” he said.
“There was very good synergy throughout the club, a strong relationship with the ownership and a close connection with the fans.
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“That does not mean applying everything in exactly the same way [at Espanyol], but they are valuable experiences.”
His most memorable moment in England came during his first season at Villa in 2023-24, when they qualified for the Champions League.
“After 40 or so years without playing in the Champions League, securing qualification was a beautiful moment,” he said.
Villa also reached the semi-finals of the Conference League during his first season, before reaching the FA Cup semi-finals and Champions League quarter-finals in his second campaign.
Data has changed recruitment
Monchi’s approach to identifying players has evolved considerably since he began working as a sporting director more than 25 years ago.
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The biggest change, he says, has been the arrival of data and artificial intelligence.
“We no longer rely solely on scouting reports and subjective assessments, but also on the support provided by big data, artificial intelligence and data analysis in general,” he said.
“All clubs have done, and what I have done personally, is adapt to new technologies.”
For Espanyol, that means combining data-driven recruitment with the kind of market knowledge Monchi developed during his career in Spain, Italy and England.
The objective is not simply to find cheap players, but to identify players who can increase the club’s competitiveness and eventually help close the financial gap with wealthier rivals.
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Competing against Barcelona
Monchi is equally clear that Espanyol should not measure their progress by how they compare to Barcelona, despite the two clubs sharing the same city.
“Espanyol have to focus on themselves,” he said.
“Barcelona are a major club and an important team, but I do not think Espanyol’s growth should be measured against Barcelona. Espanyol’s reference point has to be Espanyol itself.”
His ambition is to restore Espanyol to the status their history suggests they should occupy.
The club’s past, he believes, provides a blueprint for where it can go again.
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“Espanyol have enough history and enough of a past for us to look back at what the club has been and try to become that Espanyol again,” he said.
“An Espanyol that was one of the most important clubs in Spain. That is where we have to aim to return.”
The immediate target is more modest: improve on last season’s league position and consolidate the project.
But beneath that cautious short-term approach is a clear belief that Espanyol can eventually compete much higher up La Liga.
“The ambition is to improve on last season’s league position and continue progressing, moving forward one step at a time and consolidating the project,” Monchi said.
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And if the Championship continues to provide the sort of players he believes Spanish clubs are overlooking, it could become an important part of the route back.
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