Aston Villa Appoint Roberto Olabe After Monchi Exit

Aston Villa have confirmed Roberto Olabe as the new president of football, succeeding Monchi, who departs after two years. Monchi joined in June 2023, signing stars like Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers but struggled with financial restrictions. Olabe, 57, left Real Sociedad earlier this year after a seven-year tenure, making his Premier League debut in a move hailed as a significant coup.

Coming to the Premier League, Aston Villa has confirmed a major shake-up in their football operations with the departure of Monchi as president of football. The Spaniard, who joined Villa Park in June 2023, had previously enjoyed success at Sevilla and AS Roma and was known for his transfer expertise. During his two-year tenure, Monchi delivered notable signings such as Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers, although some acquisitions did not work out. His time at Villa was also complicated by financial restrictions, which limited the club’s transfer flexibility, culminating in a subdued 2025 summer window.

Aston Villa moved quickly to appoint a replacement, securing Roberto Olabe as the new sporting director. The 57-year-old left Real Sociedad earlier this year after seven productive years in Spain, where he was instrumental in signing key players like Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Isak. Olabe had been linked with Arsenal’s sporting director role but ultimately was not chosen.

His arrival at Villa is being hailed as a significant coup, adding to the growing Basque influence in the Premier League. Olabe now faces the challenge of navigating Villa through the transfer market while building on Monchi’s legacy and boosting the club’s competitiveness in England’s top flight. This change signals Villa’s ambition to strengthen their squad and management structure despite previous financial and operational challenges.