Monchi's move to Roma 'close to being finalised'

The 48-year-old, whose full name is Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, is leaving Sevilla after almost three decades with the LaLiga club, and he has been heavily linked with a switch to the Italian capital.

And Monchi on Friday morning admitted he is likely to accept an offer from ambitious Roma, currently second behind Juventus in the Serie A title race, barring a late change of circumstances.

When asked about the Giallorossi job, he told Spanish newspaper AS: "It is not finalised but it is close to being finalised. If everything goes as planned then I'll join Roma, unless there is a twist.

"I remember when Marcelo arrived on a plane to sign for Sevilla but ended up at Real Madrid.

"That's why I don't want the bells to ring out until everything has been tied up."

Monchi has already said he would not consider joining one of Sevilla's league rivals and reaffirmed his position this week.

"None of the biggest Spanish clubs have called me," he said. "Yes there have been intermediaries who told me that big clubs were interested, but I consider those people to be opportunists.

"I've always said I would not work for any other Spanish club and I will never work in Spain anywhere but in Seville."

Since taking over as sporting director at Sevilla in 2000, Monchi helped unearth and develop talents including Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves, Ivan Rakitic and Jesus Navas, who have all brought in millions in transfer revenue for the Andalusian outfit.

Should Monchi's move to the Stadio Olimpico go through, he will lead Roma's burgeoning bid to dislodge Juve as the leading team in Italy.

Edin Dzeko, Mohamed Salah, Kevin Strootman and Wojciech Szczesny have all been expensively recruited in recent years as the Giallorossi target a first Scudetto since 2001 ahead of a move to a new purpose-built stadium, which is expected to be constructed in the Tor di Valle suburb of Rome.