Who is Roberto Olabe? World-class sporting director linked with Arsenal

According to reports, Roberto Olabe is in "advanced talks" to succeed departing Edu as Arsenal's sporting director.

Arsenal has been looking for a new sporting director since Edu Gaspar abruptly left last month. The Brazilian, who played a key role in altering Arsenal's football operations, left the team to join Nottingham Forest even though he received a significant pay increase at the Emirates.

Since then, the Gunners have focused on finding the ideal candidate to succeed Edu, and new information indicates that Arsenal might have found their man.

Arteta's Arsenal has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, securing its position as one of Europe's best teams. Furthermore, considering Olabe's history of assembling winning teams and attracting top players, the North London club might be prepared for further success in both England and Europe.

Who is Roberto Olabe?

Roberto Olabe is the popular sporting director of Real Sociedad. Known for his strategic vision and talent-spotting abilities, the 57-year-old has played a significant role in Sociedad's recent success. In 2021, the La Liga team won the Copa del Rey, its first major championship in over thirty years, under his leadership.

They also returned to the Champions League for the first time in a decade during the 2023–2024 season. Roberto Olabe’s perspective on player development is that players should reach their goals when they’re ready, not as quickly as feasible.

Olabe favours signing talented local players or bringing players through the academy. In order to bolster the core of this current team, which is composed of players from the youth system, he constantly looks to bring in players from the academy.

The majority of the players who have played the most games over the last four seasons, including Martín Zubimendi, Igor Zubeldia, and Mikel Oyarzabal, came from the academy and are now at the top of their game.

Most of Olabe's accomplishments occurred during his time with Real Sociedad, and he has done a fantastic job as their sporting director. However, he repeatedly states that it’s a difficult model to duplicate.

He has created a lot of things on top of a foundation that was already rather strong. Besides, he knows the area and the team's players and fans better than anyone else. Olabe has contributed to the development of Real Sociedad’s culture, and he has absorbed some of it.

Cover Credits - Goal.com