Ramón Rodríguez Verdejo (AKA Monchi)

[Proposition Joe]

"Players told close friends and family that they desperately needed a boost through impactful, high-quality signings."

If they were that desperate they might have, maybe, possibly, thought about putting in a performance at Old Trafford last day of the season.

[Brazilian Villain]

"Players told close friends and family that they desperately needed a boost through impactful, high-quality signings."

Poor lambs.

[kippaxvilla2]

Hey hey we’re the Monchis, we’re not hanging around.

[BoVillan esq]

Slowly slowly, things are now beginning to emerge, and the clear problems being played out on the pitch becoming obvious that something here was very wrong, Monchi's departure, who with a world class reputation and respect as a serious football man, connections everywhere, which is why Emery wanted him now being allegedly replaced by a man with a very local almost organic view of the game, don't spend money on players when you can develop them through your academy, I can see how this works in Spain, the Premiership works an entirely different way, always has and always will. The very team that's just pulled of a very good result against us have virtually replaced their whole squad to try and stay in the Premiership, nature of the beast.

I do hope Emery knows what he's doing.

[RamboandBruno]

Emery's not being pushed out. He's got total authority and him going would be worse than O'Neill.

Yup and therein lies the problem. Having everything hinge on one individual is an absolutely crazy way to run any type of business, regardless of how good that individual is.

I think Man utd in the Ferguson era, Forest in the Clough era (mostly), Arsenal in the Wenger period would disagree.
Obviously we’re not that, but to be honest the last just under 3 years have been the best we’ve had in 30 years by a stretch, doesn’t really matter if its a low bar, european cup semi final and quarter finals, fa cup semi final, 7th, 4th, 6th in the league, massive winning runs including virtually never losing at home.  Its been working amazingly well really.
Yes we’d be fooked if he goes now, which is why we need to be patient, recognise this is a tough period and give the man time to get us through it.

[Ian.]

Wasn’t it the same in the Graham Taylor era?

[Sexual Ealing]

Most clubs were like it then.

[PeterWithesShin]

All 3 clubs went to shit after those managers left. By their standards anyway. Which is what I assume PWA means. When it ends, for whatever reason, the club tends to be up shit creek. As we found out when pubey fucked off.

[ChicagoLion]

Yet Chelsea have demonstrated that changing the manager doesn’t = oblivion.
Hopefully our next move is more Ariola and less aryrednap.

[olaftab]

What Monchi exit means for Unai Emery’s future at Aston Villa
Departure of president of football operations has deepened crisis at club and led fans to worry about future of manager

John Percy
23 September 2025 12:46pm BST
These are worrying times at Aston Villa and the departure of Monchi, a key ally of manager Unai Emery, will only heighten the sense of uncertainty.
After an excruciating summer hampered by financial restrictions, Villa have made a poor start to the season with no wins and just one goal scored in the Premier League.
The surprise exit of Monchi on Monday night, after just over two years in his role as president of football operations, has increased fears all is not well behind the scenes. Perhaps most alarmingly, it has also raised concerns among many supporters that Emery could follow him out of the door.
Yet it is understood that, despite Monchi’s impending farewell, Emery is determined to carry on and is fully committed to improving their start. He is striving to find solutions and will address the situation at a news conference on Wednesday, ahead of their opening Europa League match at home to Bologna on Thursday.
Emery has cut a frustrated figure this season. After the 1-1 draw at Sunderland he accused his players of being “lazy” and his press conferences have painted a picture of a club adapting to a difficult new world.
Monchi’s exit will be a major blow to Emery, and the other member of their tight triumvirate, Damian Vidagany (director of football operations), who have been the figureheads at the club for the past two seasons.
Emery will celebrate his third anniversary in charge of Villa next month and has masterminded a stunning revival of this famous old club. Yet it would be impossible to suggest that all at Villa is calm. There are clearly players disillusioned by events in the summer transfer window, and the financial restrictions have ensured a temporary halt on spending.
It still feels hugely unfair when clubs with rich, ambitious owners are hamstrung – under profit-and-sustainability rules – as they lack the commercial revenue and income of the “big six”. Monchi had to work under these strict parameters and it has proved a difficult balancing act.
Villa felt they had no option but to sell home-grown midfielder Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle this summer, yet it was not a popular decision with many in the dressing room. Monchi did bring in £40m for Ramsey, while he has also overseen a number of other profitable sales including Jhon Duran, Moussa Diaby and Jaden Philogene.
Many Monchi signings, however, have been underwhelming. The statistic that nine of the starting XI at Sunderland on Sunday were recruited before his arrival was damning.
There have been a handful of decent signings. Morgan Rogers is now worth over £70m, though his signing was pushed for by Emery after an impressive performance in the FA Cup for former club Middlesbrough against Villa. Youri Tielemans has been a success since his arrival on a free transfer from Leicester, while centre-back Pau Torres has largely impressed.
The list of arrivals to disappoint is longer, though. Diaby, Ian Maatsen, Donyell Malen and perhaps even Amadou Onana were all signed at huge expense but have either left or are not considered regular starters.
While Emery is unaffected by the news in terms of his position and future, this is a time for unity and, most importantly, a victory on the pitch, to provide some welcome relief.

Verdict on Monchi’s transfer business
2023-24 season
Youri Tielemans (Leicester, free)
Villa worked on the deal and Monchi rubber-stamped it. Belgium midfielder has been an excellent Bosman. HIT
Pau Torres (Villarreal, £31.5m)
Missed big chunks of the last two seasons through injury but played important role in getting Villa into the Champions League when fit. HIT
Moussa Diaby (Bayer Leverkusen, £50m)
Sold after one season. For that outlay they would have wanted a bigger impact. MISS
Moussa Diaby made a promising start but lost his way at Villa Park Credit: Getty Images/Shaun Botterill
Morgan Rogers (Middlesbrough, £8m) Targeted by Emery and has flourished under the Spaniard, forcing his way into the England squad with a great chance of reaching the World Cup. HIT
Ian Maatsen (Chelsea, £35m)
FFP-friendly deal for left-back who played in the Champions League final while at Borussia Dortmund, but he only started 10 Premier League games last season. MISS

2024-25 season
Samuel Iling-Junior (Juventus, £11.8m)
Euro Under-21 winner with England but yet to start at Villa. Loaned out to Middlesbrough last season and West Brom this term. MISS
Enzo Barrenechea (Juventus, £6.7m)
Loaned out to Valencia last season, where he played regularly in La Liga. Now at Benfica on another short-term deal. MISS
Cameron Archer (Sheffield Utd, £15m)
Returned to Villa Park after relegation with Sheffield United and sold to Southampton later that summer. MISS

Cameron Archer of Aston Villa during the pre-season friendly match between Aston Villa and SS Lazio
Cameron Archer failed to score a league goal for Villa Credit: Getty Images/Marc Atkins
Jaden Philogene (Hull, £18m)
Took advantage of matching rights after selling him the previous year. Sold to Ipswich Town later in the season. MISS
Amadou Onana (Everton, £50m)
Has performed well when fit but missed four months of last season through injury after another big money deal. MISS
Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund, £19.4m)
Most of his matches have come off the bench, rather than commanding a regular first-team spot. MISS

2025-26: Jury out
Marco Bizot (Brest, undisc)
Played at the start of the season when Emi Martinez’s future appeared uncertain. Clean sheet on opening weekend and still early days.
Evann Guessand (Nice, £26m)
Started in three of the last four games in all competitions but is yet to find the net.
Victor Lindelof (Man Utd, free)
Low-risk free transfer who has yet to make a start. Came off the bench in the goalless draw against Everton for his debut.

Victor Lindelof of Aston Villa during the Premier League match between Everton and Aston Villa
Victor Lindelof brings experience to the Villa defence Credit: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt
Jadon Sancho (Man Utd, loan)
Two appearances so far for the Manchester United outcast, who has potential to emulate Marcus Rashford and revive his career at Villa.
Harvey Elliot (Liverpool, loan)
Has already found the net for Villa after they beat competition across Europe to land him from Liverpool.