Sevilla president Jose Castro insists it was Monchi's decision to leave.

The sporting director left Sevilla last week to join Aston Villa as 'president of football operations'.

Castro said, “Monchi is not just any professional. He has done a lot and good for the entity and we wanted him to stay. The one who has left and the one who told us that he wanted to leave, five or six days after winning a title, was him.

"I asked him to reflect for a week but he was clear about it. He first told us that he was tired and that he wanted to go to San Fernando, something that had no repercussions on his contract. He didn't have to pay anything. If there is a team that wanted him, the club had to make the clauses of his contract effective as the great professional that he is.

“There was no breakup moment. There were differences and friction as is normal when something that hurts goes wrong. Relationships are not broken.

“The club has worked the same as always. Monchi, as general sports director, prescribed the players for buying and selling as always. 99% of the things he prescribed for us were done. If the water bottle, to use the simile he used, is spilling, the board has to prevent it from spilling. There has been no interference in Monchi's work. Nothing about Monchi disappoints me because we Sevilla fans can only be grateful to him. On the contrary, I wish him absolutely the best in his new stage."

Castro added: “This is going to be the last time I talk about Monchi. It's news and I understand it, and I have nothing against Monchi, but there is a man there called Víctor Orta who deserves to be talked about."