Who Aston Villa could appoint to replace Monchi, it might not be permanently though
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(Credit: Imago, Getty)
Oliver Walton
Tue 23 September 2025 11:00, UK
Aston Villa look to have already picked out an immediate successor to outgoing president of football operations Monchi after news of his imminent exit broke.
Aston Villa continued their impressive rise under Unai Emery in 2024-25 with a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League, and there was an expectation that they would continue in a similar vein of form this season.
Villa completed a last-minute sale of their women’s team to avoid breaching profit and sustainability rules (PSR) during the summer, though, and Emery’s side was barely bolstered until the latter stages of the window with Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott arriving on late loan deals to complete a poor window.
Former footballer Monchi was appointed as Villa’s President of Football Operations in June 2023 after previously holding similar positions on the continent at both Sevilla and Roma.
The Villa squad are frustrated by the lack of top-quality signings, with the Spanish sporting director now in the firing line.
Monchi’s imminent departure has come out of the blue
Monchi has always been transparent in his approach.
The 57-year-old had been adamant he wanted to improve Villa but after their poor summer and start to the season, it seems the Spaniard has been left with no choice but to walk away.
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Now with Monchi set to leave, the Villains will likely want to hire a replacement as soon as possible to oversee the day-to-day operations of the football club.
According to the Daily Mail (23 September), there should be little surprise if Villa’s chief scout Alberto Benito assumes more responsibility in the immediate aftermath of his absence.
Benito is believed to be one of Emery’s closest allies in football after they played together at Spanish club Toledo, while he also worked under the Villians’ manager at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
The report also states that co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens may look at candidates with financial as well as football expertise, with Villa having been bound by a number of monetary issues in recent years.
Monchi obviously had a big reputation from his time at Sevilla and Roma, but he has not been a particularly overawing success at Villa Park despite their recent progress on the pitch.
2024-25 PFA Young Player of the Year Morgan Rogers was one of Monchi’s best Aston Villa signings, after he joined the club for just £8million [Sky Sports] from Middlesbrough in 2024, but aside from him, the likes of Amadou Onana and Pau Torres are the only others brought in permanently that have truly impressed at times.
The England winger and summer capture Evann Guessand were the only players in Emery’s last starting eleven against Sunderland that were signed under Monchi’s watch, and it feels as if he has overseen more misses than hits in the last two years.
Villa have sold well, with high fees recouped following the exits of players like Jhon Duran and Jacob Ramsey, but even though he is a close ally of Emery, it is really no shock to see Monchi leaving the club following the end of the summer window.