Raúl Sanllehí, former director of football at Barcelona and Arsenal, has been appointed as co-president of Inter Miami CF alongside Xavier Asensi. With a rich background in football operations from prestigious clubs like Barcelona and Arsenal, Sanllehí is set to oversee various aspects of the sporting side while executing the ownership’s strategy for player development from the academy to the first team. With his experience in LaLiga and the Premier League, as well as with elite clubs playing in the Champions League, Sanllehí brings a vast vision for the club.
Having served as the director of football at Barcelona from 2008 to 2019, Sanllehí played a crucial role in the development of current Miami players such as Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez, and Jordi Alba. He also has a history of working with head coach Gerardo Martino, having been part of the team that hired the Argentine at Barcelona in 2013. Sanllehí’s goal is to elevate Inter Miami’s academy to produce a team similar to the one he witnessed at Barcelona under the guidance of Johan Cruyff.
Sanllehí believes in the importance of nurturing talent from the academy and allowing it to flourish within the first team. He recalls Johan Cruyff’s philosophy of building a team that mirrors the principles of the academy, emphasizing the need to plant seeds early and provide a conducive environment for growth. Sanllehí aims to cultivate a culture within Inter Miami that focuses on developing young talent and integrating them seamlessly into the senior team.
Inter Miami currently boasts several academy players in its senior team, with players like Leo Alfonso, Benjamin Cremaschi, and David Ruiz making significant contributions to the team’s success. With young talents like Alfonso scoring crucial goals for the team, the focus on youth development seems to be paying off. Sanllehí’s vision for the club aligns with this ethos of promoting academy players and building a strong foundation for sustainable success.
While Sanllehí will oversee the sporting side of the club, Xavier Asensi will continue to manage the commercial aspect as president of business operations. Asensi, who joined Inter Miami in 2021 from Barcelona, has been instrumental in growing the club’s revenues. With Sanllehí and Asensi working in tandem, the club aims to strike a balance between sporting success and commercial growth, setting the stage for a promising future.
Raúl Sanllehí’s appointment as co-president of Inter Miami CF signifies a strategic move to elevate the club’s standing in the world of football. With a strong focus on player development and a clear vision for the future, Sanllehí aims to transform Inter Miami into a global powerhouse. The collaboration between Sanllehí and Asensi bodes well for the club’s overall growth and presents a unified approach to maximizing success both on and off the field.