I’ve discovered Sergio Ramos and countless stars but my best signing was Barcelona legend who played with Lionel Messi
Aston Villa's president of football operations Monchi has revealed who the best player he has ever signed is.
Monchi, whose full name is Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, joined the Villans in June last year.
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The 55-year-old works closely in tandem with Villa manager Unai Emery and director of football Damian Vidagany.
Together, they form Villa's triangle of power and are the key decision makers on all things football-related at Bodymoor Heath.
Although Monchi was a former player, he has gained significantly more recognition for his work as a sporting director.
Monchi took up the role at Sevilla in July 2000 shortly after retiring and remained in the post until April 24 in 2017 when he moved to AS Roma.
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He lasted just under two years in the Italian capital before returning to Sevilla where he stayed until June 30 last year as he moved to Villa.
In his time as a sporting director, Monchi has bought and sold countless players but only one name stood out as his best bit of business.
"For me, in my opinion, my best deal is to buy Dani Alves," Monchi told Jeff Stelling and Andy Townsend on talkSPORT Breakfast.
"Because I buy him when he was young. He played in Sevilla many years, he won many trophies. After, we sell him for lots more money.
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"Maybe he is the best deal because he's a top, top player."
It is hard to disagree with Monchi.
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He brought a 20-year-old Alves to Sevilla from Brazilian club Bahia in July 2002 initially on loan before making it a permanent deal for just £472,000 six months later.
Alves went on to help Sevilla win five trophies in his six seasons at the club before he was sold to Barcelona in 2008 for approximately £30m.
The Brazilian right-back would go on to win a staggering 23 trophies during his time at Barcelona as he established himself as one of the best defenders on the planet.
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Since retiring, Alves was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in 2022 and was initially sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.
But the 41-year-old was released in March this year after he paid his bail of €1million (£853,000).
Other stars Monchi has signed on the cheap and flipped for a major profit include the likes of Ivan Rakitic and Gregorz Krychowiak.
Rakitic was snapped up from Schalke for just £1.8m in 2011 and sold to Barcelona for £15.4m just three years later.
He also discovered the likes of Sergio Ramos and Jose Antonio Reyes.
As for Krychowiak, Monchi signed him from Reims for £5m in 2014 and subsequently sold him to Paris Saint-Germain two years later for £24m.