It appears Arsenal are getting closer to naming Monchi as the club's new sporting director.

The 50-year-old, full name Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo, is good friends with Gunners manager Unai Emery.

According to Il Messaggero Arsenal ‘presented their offer’ to the Spanish director of football after the Premier League club decided they would pay the £2million needed to activate the buy-out clause in his Roma contract.

The Italian website indicate that he has agreed to the terms and will leave Italy before the end of the season.

Arsenal want a new technical director at the Emirates after Sven Mislintat quit as head of recruitment earlier this month.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

Monchi wants to work in England but Sevilla - his and Emery's former club - are also strongly linked with the Spaniard.

The former goalkeeper is credited with discovering the likes of Sergio Ramos, Dani Alves and Ivan Rakitic.

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Ex-Arsenal winger Marc Overmars was one of the favorites for the role but he is not expected to now leave Ajax.

German Mislintat, 46, joined the Gunners in December 2017 from Borussia Dortmund and was involved in all eight of the signings Arsenal have made since.

He was latest high-profile departure following chief executive Ivan Gazidis' exit to AC Milan.

(Image: Stuart MacFarlane)

(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

In a statement early this month, Arsenal said Mislintat had done a "truly outstanding job".

"It's been an amazing experience to work at a great club like Arsenal in what has been a big time of change," said Mislintat, who left the club on February 8.

"I am excited about what the future holds for the club and am looking forward to new challenges for myself."

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He was the driving force behind the signing of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for £56m in January 2018 from Dortmund.

Arsenal returned to the Premier League's top four on Sunday when they beat Southampton 2-0.