Arsenal can now spite Unai Emery by recruiting key figure he wanted at Aston Villa

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Arsenal are searching for a new director of football, and could end up targeting some big names for the position.

Edu Gaspar announced his shock departure after five years as Arsenal’s sporting director, and the club can do down several different routes to replace him.

Another former player could be an option with Tomas Rosicky linked with a return, but Arsenal fans are concerned about Rosicky’s limited experience.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Simon Rolfes is admired, but a strong option could be Real Sociedad director Roberto Olabe after he announced that he would leave his club at the end of the season.

Olabe is highly rated as a director, so much so that former Arsenal manager Unai Emery was desperate to work with him at Aston Villa.

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Roberto Olabe to Arsenal latest: Unai Emery wanted Real Sociedad director at Aston Villa

Links between Arsenal and Olabe are growing, which is unsurprising given that the Real Sociedad director has already worked with several players he could end up reuniting with.

Olabe is so highly rated that Emery was keen on him joining Aston Villa when the Spaniard returned to English football.

Emery was dismissed as Arsenal manager by Edu in November 2019, but has since exacted his revenge on his old club, knocking Mikel Arteta’s side out of the Europa League in 2021 with Villarreal, before ruining their title hopes with Aston Villa last season.

Mundo Deportivo reported in January 2023 that Emery was keen for Olabe to follow him from La Liga to the Premier League, but the director signed fresh terms at Real Sociedad.

At the time, Villa and Emery were scouting several La Liga players, including Mikel Merino, who joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad this summer. Olabe rejected Villa’s approach, and they appointed former Sevilla director Monchi.

Unai Emery’s connection with Arsenal target Roberto Olabe

Emery and Olabe have actually known each other for a long time, with both briefly playing together at Real Sociedad in 1995.

Both have also managed Spanish side Almeria in their careers, although Olabe was simply in an interim role as they were relegated in 2010-11.

Olabe’s rejection of Aston Villa meant Emery reunited with Monchi, whom he enjoyed success with at Sevilla, whilst Real Sociedad enjoyed a fruitful period with some excellent recruitment under the Spaniard.

With the director set to step down at the end of the season, he could end up joining Arsenal, who will hope that he can help take their recruitment to the next level to win major trophies.