Sevilla FC made official this Tuesday the hiring of José Ignacio Navarro as the club’s new sporting director. The 44-year-old Sevilla native takes on the role with full powers and replaces Antonio Cordón, who left the club at the end of May after mutual agreement.
Navarro already served as Cordón’s deputy and had been carrying out his duties on an interim basis since the executive’s departure. With the transfer market approaching, the club is accelerating the definition to ensure stability in the sporting area. He has spent more than a decade at Sevilla, having started as technical secretary and grown internally to become the main reference behind the scenes.
The timing of the appointment is considered strategic. Sevilla is going through a decisive summer, with the need to balance its accounts, make important sales and assemble a competitive squad to avoid another season of suffering. Navarro is already working on drawing up the list of reinforcements and operating exits.
Man of the house profile
Born on October 27, 1981 in Sevilla, José Ignacio Navarro has a deep understanding of the club’s structure. Its internal trajectory is seen as an advantage at a time of uncertainty about the future of the property. He is valued by the current board for his planning ability and proximity to the day-to-day running of football.
Unlike external hires that often require time to adapt, Navarro assumes command in the field and has prior knowledge of the challenges. Sources close to the club highlight that he had already been leading meetings and contacts with agents in recent weeks.
What changes in practice
Confirmation allows Sevilla to move forward with negotiations more quickly. The initial focus should be on reducing the wage bill and on the arrival of cost-controlled reinforcements, maintaining competitiveness in LaLiga. Luis García Plaza’s permanence in technical command should also be influenced by the stability that Navarro brings to the sporting management.
The club is still monitoring the scenario of a possible sale of shares, but the appointment signals that day-to-day management will not be paralyzed. Navarro will have the responsibility of building the basis of the 2026/27 season in a context of pressure for results.
