Real Sociedad have announced that their highly rated football director Roberto Olabe will leave the club at the end of the season.

Olabe has a contract with the Basque outfit until June 2026 but informed the club of his decision to leave his post a year early.

“Roberto Olabe, Director of Football at Real Sociedad, has announced his decision not to continue with our club once the current season ends,” a club statement said.

“Erik Bretos will be the new Football Director of Real Sociedad starting next season.”

A reported target of Arsenal, Olabe, 57, has had three different stints as sporting director of Real Sociedad having finished his playing career as a goalkeeper at the club in 1999.

He also coached both the youth and senior teams at Real Sociedad between retirement and 2002.

Olabe has worked on some of the best transfer deals in recent years at the Spanish outfit.

He signed Sweden striker Alexander Isak in the summer of 2019 in a €15 million ($16m) transfer from Borussia Dortmund. Isak went on to join Newcastle United from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2022 in a €70m transfer.

It was under Olabe that Real Sociedad signed Japan forward Takefusa Kubo on a five-year contract from Real Madrid in the summer of the 2022.

He also brought Spain midfielder Mikel Merino to the San Sebastian-based club in the summer of 2018 in a €12m transfer from Newcastle United.

Merino arrived to Arsenal in August in a €32m transfer from Real Sociedad.

Arsenal are looking for a new sporting director after Edu Gaspar resigned from his post earlier this month.