Espanyol's sporting management, with Monchi involved, has prioritized signing a central defender. While several players have been linked with the club, Matteo Moretto reported that Espanyol is in negotiations for Igor Julio, a 28-year-old Brazilian center-back from Brighton. The player, who previously made 42 appearances for Fiorentina, has a contract with the English team until 2027. During the 2025-26 season, Igor was on loan at West Ham, but the London club terminated the deal in January because his participation had been minimal and they decided to bring in new players. His current market value is listed at €10.00m by Transfermarkt. Other clubs recently linked with the defender include Schalke 04 and Beşiktaş. Recent reports from July 2026 state Brighton's asking price is around €5 million; the club reportedly paid €17 million to sign him from Fiorentina in July 2023.