Espanyol sporting director Monchi says Spanish clubs should look more closely at England’s Championship, calling it one of football’s most overlooked leagues and a growing source of talent.
The former goalkeeper has returned to Spain after two years as Aston Villa’s president of football operations, having previously served as sporting director at Sevilla and Roma.
Based in Barcelona, Espanyol finished 11th in La Liga last season and are among Spain’s oldest clubs, founded in 1900.
Monchi says targeting the English second tier is part of a wider plan to explore markets where Espanyol can compete despite the financial limits placed on Spanish teams.
The club also has a natural link to the Championship, as its ownership group led by Alan Pace also owns Burnley.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Monchi described the Championship as widely misunderstood.
Drawing on his two years working in England with Aston Villa—and his ongoing interest through Burnley—he said the league features numerous high-quality players.
The 57-year-old highlighted Morgan Rogers as a prime example of talent emerging from the division.
Rogers moved from Middlesbrough to Aston Villa in 2024, became an England international, and this summer completed a £117m transfer to Chelsea.
Monchi stressed that Rogers is one case among many.
He praised the Championship’s intensity, depth of coaching, and competitiveness, calling it an excellent environment for discovering players.
Espanyol have already tapped into that market: Tyrhys Dolan arrived from Blackburn Rovers in July 2025 after five seasons in the Championship, and the club have also secured Netherlands international Quilindschy Hartman on loan from Burnley.