Arsenal are expected to appoint their new sporting director in March.
Edu Gaspar left the club in November, and the Gunners are yet to name a replacement, despite being linked to a plethora of candidates.
Jason Ayto has stood in for Edu on an interim basis since the Brazilian left, but the Englishman received criticism for not initiating a move for a striker in the January transfer window.
Despite this, Ayto is one of five candidates being considered by Arsenal, with the likes of Thiago Scuro, Andrea Berta, Dan Ashworth and Roberto Olabe also being assessed.
- READ MORE: Arsenal target sporting director who beat Arsene Wenger to £92m transfer as Edu Gaspar replacement
Who has Arsenal sporting director candidate Roberto Olabe signed in the past?
Olabe has been linked with Arsenal since immediately after it was announced that Edu was leaving N5 in November.
The 57-year-old has enjoyed an impressive career in football administration since retiring from his playing career in 1999.
The Spaniard has had three separate spells as Real Sociedad’s sporting director, as well as fulfilling this role at Real Valladolid and Almeria.
Player recruitment has been a significant part of his job at every club he’s been at, and he boasts an impressive track record of successful signings.
Most pertinently, Olabe signed Alexander Isak for just €8 million (£6.61 million) back in the summer of 2019, when the Swede was nothing more than a bright prospect struggling to break into the Borussia Dortmund first team.
This turned out to be an astute investment, as the prolific number nine would go on to score 44 goals for La Real in just three seasons, before being sold to Newcastle for £56 million.
Isak is said to be Arteta’s dream transfer target, which could incentivise Arsenal to land Olabe, as they look replicate his transfer exploits from 2019.
Another potential reason Arsenal are being touted as a destination for the sporting director is the close relationship the Gunners clearly have with Sociedad.
Olabe has signed Kieran Tierney on loan and Nacho Monreal for €250k from Arsenal, whilst also selling Mikel Merino to the North Londoners.
The Basque executive has also demonstrated a capacity to identify underused talent from some of the biggest clubs in the world and scoop them up, signing the likes of Martin Odegaard, Takefuso Kubo and Theo Hernandez all from Real Madrid.
This skill could transfer well to Arsenal, who can’t always compete financially with some of the other European powerhouses, and thus may be looking to snatch talent from clubs around them.
- READ MORE: Arsenal eye sporting director who discovered Erling Haaland, Matheus Cunha and Ibrahima Konate
Who has Roberto Olabe sold in the past?
Olabe is not only an effective buyer, but he also excels when it comes to maximising the fees his club receives for departing players.
The Real Sociedad man extracted upwards of £27 million from Arsenal for Merino, an outstanding fee for an ageing player who hasn’t impressed at the Emirates.
Aside from the Isak sale, Olabe has also garnered £28.5 million for Robin Le Normand, who went to Atletico Madrid last summer, and £33 million for Real-Madrid bound Alvaro Ordiozola back in 2018.
In 2004, he sold Xabi Alonso to Liverpool for what was at the time a staggering fee for a defensive midfielder – £13.21 million.
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