Unai Emery: Man United eye Aston Villa boss after Alex Ferguson praise

Unai Emery: Man United eye Aston Villa boss after Alex Ferguson praise

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is high on Manchester United’s list of candidates to become permanent head coach after talks were held with intermediaries, according to a new report.

Sir Alex is a fan

Emery has transformed the Villans since taking charge in October 2022, after the Birmingham side paid £5.2 million to trigger a buyout clause in his contract with LaLiga hotshots Villarreal.

The Spanish tactician, who enjoyed previous spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, has helped solidify Villa as a European contender and one of the top sides in the Premier League, despite having a budget that is often dwarfed by their rivals.

Signings such as Morgan Rogers, bought for an initial fee of £8 million, or Youri Tielemans, captured on a free transfer, have become some of the division’s finest operators under Emery’s tutelage, while existing players like John McGinn and Ezri Konsa have enjoyed similar ascensions.

Similarly, even United rejects like Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho have found refuge in Birmingham and seen their form improve with Emery’s guiding hand.

It is a testament to the 54-year-old’s approach, both on and off the pitch, that he is able to consistently extract performances from his squad which are greater than the sum of its cheaply assembled parts. This extends back to his time with Villarreal and Sevilla, where Emery enjoyed unprecedented levels of success in Europe with both clubs, winning the Europa League four times – once with Villarreal, beating United in the final in 2021, and three times on the trot with Sevilla.

Sir Alex Ferguson is certainly a fan, with The Athletic revealing the legendary Scot is “known to admire [Emery’s] qualities as a manager” as the Spaniard has been “proposed to United at different stages in the past.” Similarly, Txiki Begiristain, Manchester City’s former director and confidant of Old Trafford’s chief executive Omar Berrada, is also a supporter of his compatriot’s abilities in the dugout.

Now, as per a report by TEAMtalk, Emery is once again on the radar in M16 after being “contacted” by “intermediaries [who] are actively promoting [his] availability” this summer. Real Madrid are understood to also be “closely monitoring” him as Los Blancos conduct their own hunt for a new head coach after caretaker Alvaro Arbeloa has failed to impress since taking the reins from Xabi Alonso midseason.

Villa are not worried

Sources at Villa Park indicate their executive structure is “aware” of this growing interest, but “remain confident of retaining their manager” beyond the current campaign. “Emery is under contract until 2029 and the club’s upward trajectory – including the prospect of regular Champions League football – makes an exit far from straightforward, and Villa insist he is staying put.”

The Villans are currently fourth in the table, with the top five teams securing qualification for Europe’s elite competition next season thanks to England’s strong coefficient. They are three points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool and, more crucially, seven clear of Chelsea in sixth.

Emery’s men are also in the driving seat in, naturally, the Europa League after their 7-1 aggregate demolition of Serie A side Bologna set up a semi-final clash with Nottingham Forest. SC Freiburg and Braga go head to head on the other side of the draw, meaning Villa are comfortably the favourites to secure their manager’s fifth triumph in the tournament – which also secures a place in next season’s Champions League.

Final Thoughts

It will be a difficult mission to prise Emery away from a direct rival, even if the “elite coach” himself is open to swapping Birmingham for Manchester. While conversations have only taken place through middlemen, the direction of travel suggests the interest stems from Emery’s camp originally.

The Spaniard is one of a selection of names INEOS are considering after the primary targets, such as Thomas Tuchel, Carlo Ancelotti and Luis Enrique, have all ruled themselves out of the running by committing their future to their current positions.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, set to be available after the World Cup in North America this summer, is another frontrunner. Recruitment director Christopher Vivell is understood to be a strong advocate of the 38-year-old coach, having previously worked together during their shared time at the Red Bull organisation.

Premier League-proven options like Andoni Iraola and Oliver Glasner are also being eyed, though neither possesses Emery’s track record at the top level of club football. It would be a major risk to pick either at the cost of letting interim boss Michael Carrick, whose hopes of securing the job full-time were boosted by last night’s pivotal win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Emery appears to tick many of the boxes INEOS are looking to fill with a new hire – and the Spaniard has the influential voice of Sir Alex advocating his case in the halls of power at Old Trafford.

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