Aston Villa set to replace sporting director Monchi with Real Sociedad’s Olabe
The Villans have been going through a tough period and are set to have a reshuffle in their transfer department
Aston Villa are in advanced negotiations with Roberto Olabe, the former Real Sociedad sporting director, to take over as president of football operations following Monchi’s impending departure.
Olabe, 57, left Sociedad last summer after a successful seven-year stint, and is now the leading candidate to step into the role at Villa Park.
Monchi’s exit comes during a difficult spell for the club, with Villa sitting 18th in the Premier League after failing to win any of their opening five matches.
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Monchi’s impact and Villa’s decline
The Spaniard arrived at Villa in 2023 from Sevilla, where he had worked closely with Unai Emery. Their partnership quickly bore fruit, guiding the team to a Europa Conference League semi-final in 2024 and a fourth-place Premier League finish that secured Champions League qualification.
Last season, Villa went on to reach the Champions League quarter-finals, losing to eventual winners Paris Saint-Germain.
However, this term has been far less promising – just one goal scored in the league so far, no victories, and a penalty shootout defeat to Brentford in the EFL Cup.
Why Olabe?
Villa manager Emery has been directly involved in selecting Olabe as Monchi’s replacement, a move that further demonstrates his influence at the club.
Olabe hails from Vitoria in the Basque Country, about 100 miles from Emery’s hometown of Hondarribia. Their careers have intersected before – Olabe managed Real Union, a side Emery has a stake in and where his brother Igor serves as president.
During his time at Real Sociedad, Olabe oversaw a golden period. The club won the 2020 Copa del Rey, ending a 33-year wait for silverware, and built a reputation for developing and trading talent.
Notable moves included signing Alexander Isak from Willem II and later selling him to Newcastle for £63m, as well as nurturing Martin Zubimendi, who joined Arsenal for £60m this summer.
Olabe was also behind Martin Odegaard’s loan from Real Madrid before his eventual move to Arsenal, while Mikel Merino was another success story.
At one stage, Arsenal even considered Olabe for a sporting director role before opting against the move.
Financial pressures shaping Villa’s strategy
Monchi’s tenure at Villa has been heavily influenced by financial restrictions. Both the Premier League and UEFA’s Profit and Sustainability rules have limited spending, with the club fined £9.5m in July for breaching regulations.
This has forced the sale of several key players. Douglas Luiz was moved to Juventus for £42m in 2024 before being loaned to Nottingham Forest.
Academy graduates Omari Kellyman (£19m to Chelsea), Tim Iroegbunam (£9m to Everton), and Jacob Ramsey (£40m to Newcastle) also generated vital profit.
On the incoming side, Villa spent big on Amadou Onana (£50m) and Moussa Diaby (£43m), though both transfers have been problematic – Diaby was sold to Al-Ittihad after a single season, while Onana has struggled with injuries.
More recent signings include Marco Bizot from Brest and Evann Guessand from Nice (£30m), alongside deadline-day deals for Harvey Elliott, Jadon Sancho, and Victor Lindelof.
Elliott joined on loan with a £35m obligation to buy, Sancho arrived temporarily from Manchester United, and Lindelof was acquired on a free.
Some signings have paid off – Morgan Rogers, recruited from Middlesbrough for an initial £8m, has since become an England international, while Youri Tielemans has also impressed after arriving on a free.
What’s next for Villa?
While Monchi departs amid a difficult start to the campaign, Emery’s position remains unaffected. His influence in recruiting Olabe underlines his long-term importance to the project.
Olabe’s track record of blending academy development with astute transfer business could provide the balance Villa need as they continue to navigate financial restrictions while aiming to re-establish themselves in Europe.