Roma Sporting Director Monchi Leaves Club, Linked to Arsenal Move

Roma's sporting director has left the club by mutual consent, despite there being two more years on his deal.

ROME (AP) – The fallout from Roma's Champions League exit continued as sports director Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo, known as Monchi, left the club by mutual consent with more two years left in his contract.

Roma announced on Friday ''the two parties have reached a mutual agreement to bring an early end to their professional relationship.''

Monchi was hired only in April 2017 after ending a 17-year stint with Sevilla.

The 50-year-old Monchi has been linked with a move to Arsenal.

Roma lost to Porto in the round of 16 in the Champions League on Wednesday and the club fired coach Eusebio Di Francesco the following day.

That defeat came on the heels of a 3-0 loss to crosstown rival Lazio in Serie A, with the team fifth in the standings and in danger of missing out on a Champions League spot next season.

Roma is expected to appoint Claudio Ranieri as interim coach until the end of the season. The 67-year-old Ranieri, who was fired from Fulham last week, flew into the Italian capital on Friday.