Abbiamo ricevuto un’offerta importante dai giganti spagnoli, quindi la scelta se restare o andarsene è sua, siamo pronti a identificare il suo sostituto.
Aston Villa are reportedly in the process of appointing Juventus chief Francesco Calvo to add to the already illustrious group in the Villa Park boardroom.
Calvo is set to leave his current post of Managing Director of Revenue & Football Development at Juve to join the growing project at Villa. The Italian is expected to become the Villans’ new President of Business Operations after it was confirmed that current CEO Chris Heck would be leaving at the end of the season, though the exact role hasn’t been confirmed.
Calciomercato reports Calvo has resigned from Juve and is “ready to join the cause at Villa” at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. Vastly experienced with three years at Barcelona and six years at Juve across two spells, as well as a brief stint at AS Roma, Calvo boasts quite the resume.
If the agreement goes through as expected, Calvo will join Monchi, President of Football Operations, and Damian Vidagany, Director of Football Operations, in the Villa Park boardroom. All three will report to the joint-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens (NSWE).
What will Francesco Calvo’s role at Aston Villa involve?
All footballing chiefs often have subtle differences in their approaches but Calvo’s position will be very similar to that of Heck. To get an understanding of what Calvo will get up to, then, it’s worth looking at what Heck has achieved in his three years at Villa Park.
Heck, as Villa’s President of Business Operations, has been responsible for overseeing all business and commercial matters at the football club. His primary responsibilities have included the following…
Revenue growth: Heck led efforts to significantly increase the club’s revenue, targeting £400 million by 2027 from £218 million in 2023. He oversaw record revenue growth, with turnover rising to £275.7 million in the 2023-24 season, partly due to Champions League participation. This involved securing high-profile commercial deals, such as a £40 million front-of-shirt sponsorship with Betano and a kit partnership with Adidas.
Commercial operations: He managed multiple departments to enhance commercial income, including doubling sponsorship sales for shirts, stadium advertising, and online platforms. Heck also focused on expanding Villa’s retail presence, notably through a new 10,000-square-foot mega store in Birmingham’s Bullring and a revamped club shop at Villa Park.
Stadium and infrastructure development: Heck drove the redevelopment of Villa Park, including upgrading hospitality offerings with 18 new premium options across three stands, increasing capacity to around 42,900, and planning a new North Stand. He also spearheaded the North Grounds regeneration, featuring The Warehouse, a matchday beer hall and year-round entertainment venue.
Global brand expansion: He aimed to transform Aston Villa into an international brand by leveraging its heritage, boosting social media presence, and exploring ventures like a documentary series. Heck balanced global appeal with maintaining local fan loyalty, protecting season ticket holders while raising matchday ticket prices.
Compliance with financial rules: Heck navigated the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), restructuring contracts and increasing revenue streams to support on-pitch investments while adhering to loss limits.
