Mateu Alemany (with added Alberto Benito and Pablo Rodriguez)

[Scratchins]

It feels strange to be so excited about a Director of Football but in the words of Herman's Hermits "something tells me I'm into something good".

[VinnieChase84]

Deco has agreed to be their new DOF
Alemany will be in place at Villa officially on 1/7 - but "work" will be happening prior.

[Mister E]

This has taken a lot of serious football journalists by surprise. This is a very serious appointment. Much like Emery was in October this will be a pivotal appointment in the total direction of the football side of the club. The reputation of Emery combined with the transfer strategy and connections of Alemany is more than about money. It’s about football influence. NSWE is build a football empire and it’s got lots of tentacles to it on and off the pitch. More than stadium expansion or match day catering, all of which are important it’s about laying foundations all across the world to benefit the entire organization with Aston Villa being the centre of it.

Yes, I even got a Telegraph article sent through to me this morning from a red Manc fan: I think his tone was slightly "What, to the Villa?!!"

[Mister E]

It feels strange to be so excited about a Director of Football but in the words of Herman's Hermits "something tells me I'm into something good".

Herman's Helmet would sing that!

[tomd2103]

Aston Villa closing in on Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany
Unai Emery given permission to shake up the club's hierarchy after lifting the club from 14th to seventh in the Premier League table

By John Percy
3 May 2023

Aston Villa are in advanced talks with Barcelona's director of football, Mateu Alemany, over a key role at the Premier League club.

Villa have opened negotiations with Alemany and are hopeful of completing a significant coup for manager Unai Emery as he plots the club's short and long-term future.

Barcelona confirmed on Tuesday night that Alemany, 60, would leave the club at the end of this season after just over two years in his position.

Villa's owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, have given Emery permission to undertake major changes to the club's infrastructure and a move for Alemany will be regarded as a huge statement of intent.

After his appointment at Barcelona in March 2021, Alemany was involved in a number of major signings including Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

A move to Villa Park has been rumoured for some time but it is only now that discussions are moving forward.

It is unclear at this stage whether Alemany's proposed arrival will have any effect on the position of Johan Lange, Villa's sporting director.

Alemany could be appointed to work above Lange, who has played a key role in the club's progress since promotion to the Premier League in May 2019.

Emery has guided Villa to the brink of a European place after his appointment last year and the Basque coach is preparing for a busy summer in the transfer window.

Last month, Emery appointed Alberto Benito to Villa's scouting team. Benito will be based in Spain and it is understood that Villa will be targeting a number of players in La Liga this summer.

Villa are seventh in the Premier League table and face local rivals Wolves this weekend.

Interesting to read that Unai Emery seems to have overarching control at the club.  That could be a real pull to keep him here if other clubs do come in for him, as he wouldn't have that at other clubs.  Maybe explains why he turned down Newcastle, but came to us.

[Brazilian Villain]

Interesting to read that Unai Emery seems to have overarching control at the club.  That could be a real pull to keep him here if other clubs do come in for him, as he wouldn't have that at other clubs.  Maybe explains why he turned down Newcastle, but came to us.

Put it thus way, if it continues like this, I won't mind the media referring to us as Unai Emery's Aston Villa.

[PaulWinch again]

Yes although there is a balance to strike there. Unai will leave at some point so we need to be able to transition effectively. I’m sure the Club is acutely aware of that and it’s all being worked through in the right way.

[eamonn]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

[Chris Smith]

Hmm, I'm not at all sure of that but we can only hope.

Yep, these wet behind the ears billionaires haven’t got a clue how to run a sports business.

[lovejoy]

I'm a pessimist, how do we afford him under FFP and also Barca have been a shitshow from a business perspective recently. Please disabuse me of these sentiments.

[LeeB]

I'm a pessimist, how do we afford him under FFP and also Barca have been a shitshow from a business perspective recently. Please disabuse me of these sentiments.

Go back a page or so

[Brazilian Villain]

I'm a pessimist, how do we afford him under FFP and also Barca have been a shitshow from a business perspective recently. Please disabuse me of these sentiments.

We may have made him an offer that blew Barca's out of the water for an accountant/executive, but it's probably only the same as the salary for one of our higher paid players. Plus the owners will hope that they'll more than cover his salary with money saved in negotiations, and profits generated on savvy player acquisitions.

[paul_e]

I'm a pessimist, how do we afford him under FFP and also Barca have been a shitshow from a business perspective recently. Please disabuse me of these sentiments.

The cost of someone like this is peanuts in FFP terms.
He was the man who came in to fix the shitshow (and did it well enough to bring the title back to them).

[Risso]

Yep, if he's on say £3m a year, that's £60K a week with no initial outlay (I assume). You could cover that by selling one not especially promising youth team player a year.

[Brazilian Villain]

Deco has agreed to be their new DOF
Alemany will be in place at Villa officially on 1/7 - but "work" will be happening prior.

Sounds a bit like Dan Ashworth when he left Brighton for Newcastle but didn't "join" till the summer.