Aston Villa Axes Key Executive Following Disastrous Season Start
Aston Villa is experiencing significant organizational restructuring in their football hierarchy, with Monchi preparing to step down from his position as president of football operations, though reports suggest a replacement has already been secured.
Following a difficult summer transfer period marked by minimal new acquisitions and the reluctant sale of homegrown talent Jacob Ramsey, the club has struggled in the early stages of the current campaign.
With zero victories in their opening five matches, Villa find themselves in the bottom three during these initial weeks, prompting what appears to be a substantial reorganization of the sporting leadership structure at Villa Park.
The Athletic initially broke news of Monchi's impending exit, the highly regarded talent scout who built several successful Sevilla squads across two tenures that conquered the Europa League. The Spanish executive arrived at Villa in 2023 following Unai Emery's recommendation and contributed to the club's first Champions League qualification in generations, later helping them advance to the quarter-final stage.
Undoubtedly constrained by PSR regulations and compliance requirements that frustrated supporters throughout the summer, the squad appears to have reached a standstill.
However, Monchi's exit won't create a void in the sporting structure, as Villa has acted swiftly to identify his successor. A subsequent The Athletic report identified Roberto Olabe as the chosen candidate, finalizing terms with the Spaniard renowned for his achievements at Real Sociedad.
The 57-year-old Olabe departed the Basque club following last season's conclusion and during his seven-year tenure oversaw transactions involving talents such as Alexander Isak, Martín Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, while Martin Ødegaard also developed during a pivotal phase of his progression. Olabe is also recognized for his strategic oversight at Independiente del Valle during a period when the Ecuadorian institution developed players including Moisés Caicedo and Piero Hincapié.
Sources indicate that Monchi's exit and return to Spain stems primarily from private personal circumstances, and he will remain connected to Villa's ownership as a consulting advisor.