Everything you need to know about sporting director Roberto Olabe

Spanish football is in a good place with managers and backroom staff in the modern era. Many of the sport’s finest personnel from those backgrounds are from Spain – and they are among those helping to build another golden generation for the country, after its Euro 2024 triumph.

Indeed, in an era where many of the biggest clubs on the planet employ a sporting director alongside their manager, some of the best hail from Spain, such as Txiki Begiristain and Monchi, the former being a huge part in Manchester City’s unprecedented success along with Pep Guardiola. Another name on the Spanish conveyor belt is Roberto Olabe – who has established himself as one of La Liga’s leading directors of football since he took up the role in 2018. With him set to vacate his role at the Basque club in the summer, top clubs will be on high alert to try to secure his services as there is sure to be stiff competition for his signature.

Contract Details

Olabe’s contract runs until 2026 – but he will leave the club a year early.

Real Sociedad were informed of Olabe’s decision to leave the club before the end of his contract last summer. His time as the club’s Director of Football has seen Real Sociedad establish themselves as one of Spain’s best clubs – and end their thirty-year trophy drought with victory in the 2021 Copa del Rey.

The 57-year-old has been in the director of football role at La Real since 2018, where he took over from predecessor Loren, and has quickly overseen the club’s most successful period in the 21st century. The club have also established themselves as European regulars during his time in charge – with the club’s 2024/25 Europa League campaign being their fifth straight season in continental competition, an unprecedented achievement for the club.

Olabe’s decision to leave comes with a year left on his contract. He made chairman Jokin Apperibay aware of his intention to leave in advance to give the club the required notice and time to process his departure and find a suitable replacement, but the loss of such an influential figure will be a difficult one for the club to move on from.

Career

Olabe spent the final four years of his playing career on the books at Sociedad in the 90s and even had a brief stint as the club’s manager in the 2001/02 season, where he replaced Welshman John Toshack and helped to ensure the club’s survival in La Liga – although he was soon given a four-month ban for managing the club without a coaching licence. Once he had obtained these badges, he had brief spells with Spanish sides Eibar, Almeria and Real Union between 2006 and 2012 – but had limited success and never took another managerial position from then on.

His return to Sociedad in 2018 was a homecoming for Olabe, then – and he immediately helped the club to secure its place as a regular European contender in Spain’s top-flight, with a policy of helping to develop and nourish young talent in San Sebastián. Success stories for the club under the Spaniard’s tenure include players such as Alexander Isak, and Mikel Merino and home-grown talent Martin Zubimendi, who has become one of the most exciting young talents in the country. Zubimendi was on the verge of a move to Liverpool in the summer before deciding to stick with his boyhood club, with Isak making the club a $60m profit in three years.

Next Steps

Olabe is not known to have a next move lined up – but the timing of this announcement with news of Edu Gaspar’s resignation at Arsenal just days ago is interesting, to say the least, especially as he knows Mikel Arteta from his playing days, having signed the midfielder for Sociedad back in 2004. He has been linked with a move to England before, as he was considered for a similar role at Aston Villa alongside Unai Emery, although the club appointed fellow Spaniard Monchi instead.

With such a high-profile job available in the summer, it’s possible that Arsenal could make a move for Olabe, who is seen as one of the best directors of football in Europe, although it is also very possible that the timing of the announcement is a mere coincidence. What’s clear is that with such a highly-rated name set to be on the market next summer, many of Europe’s top clubs will be vying for his signature.

All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 13th November 2024.