Aston Villa sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch SACKED with club taking action just days after securing Premier League survival to avoid another dreadful summer of spending
- Aston Villa have sacked much-maligned sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch
- The Midlands outfit saved themselves from relegation on the very last day
- But the club have struggled this season with new additions failing to impress
- Pitarch was axed ahead of an in-depth inquest to avoid another poor summer
Aston Villa have axed sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch just days after surviving the drop in a bid to avoid another summer of woeful recruitment.
The Midlands outfit salvaged their top flight status on the very last day of the season but largely struggled due to a number of additions, many of which were signed for large sums, failing to impress.
And now Pitarch has paid the price with Villa planning to conduct an overhaul of their recruitment department.
Aston Villa have axed sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch just days after surviving the drop
Villa splashed out £140million on new players last summer with Pitarch holding a key role in negotiations – but the 56-year-old has now been forced out following the unanimous agreement between owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens.
It is understood chief executive Christian Purslow is at the helm of Villa’s wide-sweeping inquest with the priority now sourcing Pitarch’s replacement.
Sportsmail had previously reported that Pitarch’s job was at risk heading into the final few weeks of the campaign.
Pitarch (right) paid the price with Villa planning to conduct an overhaul of their recruitment
CEO Christian Purslow will lead the wide-ranging inquest to avoid another dreadful summer
Sources even claimed it had been ‘inevitable’ that the Spaniard would have to bite the bullet.
There remain major concerns at Villa Park over a host of the signings Pitarch, who joined the club in October 2018, helped engineer ahead of their return to the top flight.
A focus on the foreign market proved an ultimately unsuccessful venture, with the initial intention centred around signing relatively cheaper players from overseas and selling them on for a profit.
It is believed the additions of Trezeguet, Wesley, Mbwana Samatta, Bjorn Engels, Frederic Guilbert and Marvellous Nakamba, who all cost around £60million in outlays, were orchestrated by Pitarch.
Mbwana Samatta, bought for £8.5m, has scored one goal in 14 Premier League appearances
Dean Smith has led Villa to survival despite not being given a number of his preferred targets
Samatta, who was bought for £8.5m, has scored just one goal in 14 Premier League appearances.
Pitarch was also integral behind the ill-fated £7m capture of goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic from Gent last January in another black mark against his record.
Boss Dean Smith had been keen on signing Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips and coveted Brentford duo Said Benrahma and Neal Maupay, but he was left frustrated after Villa chose to look elsewhere.
The club’s draw at West Ham on Sunday saw them avoid falling into the second tier by just a single point.