Aston Villa has announced a significant change in its football operations leadership. The club's president of football operations, Monchi, is stepping down and will be replaced by former Real Sociedad sporting director Roberto Olabe.
Roberto Olabe, 57, brings a wealth of experience to the role having spent seven years at Real Sociedad before leaving at the end of last season. His appointment comes at a critical time for Aston Villa as they currently sit 18th in the Premier League after a winless start to the season. Despite their current standing, there is optimism within the club about what lies ahead under Olabe's stewardship.
Aston Villa Chairman, Nassef Sawiris, said:
"Firstly, I would like to thank Monchi for his hard work and invaluable contribution as president of football operations during an exciting period at Aston Villa. His commitment and vision has directly contributed to the club's recent successes, reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League as well as qualifying for Europe for three consecutive seasons.
"We are delighted that Roberto is joining Aston Villa. He has built a reputation as someone who can spot talent that can be developed and we look forward to supporting him to achieve the ambitions we have for V Sports and Aston Villa."
Monchi's legacy
Monchi's departure was confirmed by Villa on Tuesday but he will not be completely severing ties with the club. He will remain in an advisory role providing his expertise when needed.
During his tenure which began in 2023 after joining from Spanish side Sevilla, Monchi made significant contributions to Aston Villa’s recent successes alongside manager Unai Emery whom he had previously worked with at Sevilla.
Together they led Aston Villa to impressive feats including reaching Europa Conference League semi-finals in 2024, securing a Champions League place by finishing fourth in Premier League during that same season and eaching quarter-finals of Champions League last term where they were knocked out by eventual winners Paris St-Germain
Challenges ahead
Despite these past achievements, Aston Villa faces challenges this season. They have failed to win any of their opening five league games and scored just once. Additionally, they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by Brentford last week.
As Olabe steps into his new role, he will be tasked with turning around the club's fortunes and restoring its winning ways. With his track record in talent spotting and development, fans can look forward to an exciting new chapter in Aston Villa’s history.
