Explained: Monchi’s fascinating scouting technique ahead of Unai Emery reunion at Aston Villa

Aston Villa are set to announce the appointment of Monchi as Sporting Director at Villa Park as the former goalkeeper makes the switch from Unai Emery's former club Sevilla.

The Birmingham club confirmed the departure of chief executive Christian Purslow on Monday and news of Monchi's arrival at the club is reported to be imminent.

It's a big career move for the former goalkeeper who began his footballing journey in the Sevilla youth system during the 1980s before going on to make over 100 appearances for the first team between 1990 and 1999. Monchi became Director of Football at the Spanish club in 2000 and has held that role since, making his new role at Aston Villa his first-ever position away from Sevilla.

Monchi will reunite with Emery at Villa Park, seven years since the manager left the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

Working with Monchi, Emery won the Europa League in each of the three consecutive seasons he spent at Sevilla and Aston Villa fans will no doubt be excited at the idea of a reunion as the side prepares for the Europa Conference League - the first taste of European football for Villains fans in more than a decade.

Villa are believed to have triggered a release clause of around £1.7 million to allow Monchi to make the move after Barcelona's Mateu Alemany rejected the position.

Monchi will take care of football business operations alongside Emery. Last month Aston Villa announced the arrival of Chris Heck as President of Business Operations and Alberto Benito and Pablo Rodriguez as new recruitment staff.

Monchi has praised 'perfect' manager Emery over the years and in 2016 gave insight into the scouting system the two implemented at Sevilla, which will pique the interest of Villains.

The Spaniard said: "Sixteen people cover a series of leagues. For the first five months we watch a lot of football but with no particular aim: we’re just accumulating data. Every month we produce an ideal XI for each league.

"Then in December we start watching players who appeared regularly in different contexts – home, away, international – to build the broadest possible profile.

“That gives us this. A colour-coded spreadsheet shows players by position. Around 250 potential targets, in all positions. The manager says: ‘I want a left-back who averages 11km a game, runs 800m at full speed, uses both feet.’ And from these, 10 will fit.”