The Royal Spanish Football Federation has appointed David Gordo as head coach of the Spain Under-21 men’s team, replacing Santi Denia after a 15-year spell in the national youth set-up. The announcement marks the first major decision by Aitor Karanka, who became the federation’s technical director this summer. Gordo, 54, has spent most of his career inside the federation’s academy structure, serving as assistant to Denia at June’s European Under-21 Championship and previously managing Spain’s Under-17 and Under-18 squads. His brief is to maintain the side’s recent competitiveness and continue smoothing the transition of prospects to the senior national team. In a separate staff move in Spanish football, former Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego López has joined Álvaro Arbeloa’s coaching group at Real Madrid Castilla, taking charge of the reserve side’s goalkeepers ahead of the new season.