- Unai Emery contract with Aston Villa has been extended for three years
- Emery, a former Spanish footballer took over from Steven Gerrard in November 2022
- He had earlier managed Arsenal unsuccessfully
Unai Emery contract with Aston Villa has been extended for three years- up to 2027 following an impressive season so far.
Emery, a former Spanish footballer took over from Steven Gerrard in November 2022 when the team was on the cusp of relegation.
Villa were 16th in the English Premier League (EPL) chart, just points away from relegation. Emery has since worked magic on the team which is currently among the top four teams currently.
Besides, Villa qualified for the Europa Conference League, its first European football competition since 2010–11, thanks to a stunning recovery led by 52-year-old Emery, who finished eighth.
In their fourth position in the Premier League, Aston Villa is aiming to qualify for the Champions League. Tottenham, who still have two games remaining, is six points behind them.
Villa has activated Emery’s contract extension clause, and the manager will meet with Villa in the summer to talk about a long-term deal, according to BBC Sport.
Inside Unai Emery Contract Extension with Aston Villa
Aston Villa Unai Emery. Photo/bEINSPorts
Aston Villa fans can now breathe easy as Unai Emery contract extension binds him to the team through 2027. The announcement follows weeks of rumours connecting the Spaniard to open management positions at some of the top teams in Europe.
Although Emery’s original contract only had two years left on it, Villa acted quickly to trigger a clause that extended his stay by three more seasons.
Rumours of a possible transfer to Bayern Munich or his previous clubs, Liverpool and Barcelona, are effectively put to rest by this firm step.
Ever since assuming leadership in November 2022, Emery has masterminded an incredible transformation at Villa Park. When he arrived, the team was dangerously close to the relegation zone.
Nevertheless, he guided them to a respectable seventh-place finish, guaranteeing their first trip to Europe since 2010. Villa is performing better than expected this season.
They are now fourth in the Premier League and have a real chance of qualifying for the Champions League. Villa honoured Emery’s contract release clause, nearing €6 million, to secure his move to the club in 2022 from Midlands Club.
The Spaniard has potential earnings beyond €7 million annually at the England club.
Why Did Aston Villa Extend Unai Emery’s Contract?
Recent interest from rival clubs sped up negotiations for the extension. Villa’s owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, were committed to holding onto their valued manager in order to honour his outstanding contributions and protect their long-term goals.
Aston Villa in a previous match. Photo/Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
Emery seems to have Aston Villa headed in the right direction. The Champions League qualification and European championship in the Europa Conference League are both real prospects in the upcoming months.
Further, his position could be significantly strengthened if he delivers the Europa Conference League trophy and Champions League football.
It should also mean Villa end any potential interest from Bayern Munich, and other possible European clubs, to keep their manager in Birmingham.
Emery, who is known for his expertise in European competitions, has led Villa to the Conference League semifinals, where they will play Olympiakos of Greece in an attempt to make it to their first European final since 1982.
He lifted the Europa League trophy with Sevilla for three straight seasons before winning it again with Villarreal in 2021.
The Spaniard was widely regarded as an ineffective manager of Arsenal for eighteen months, during which time the team placed fifth in the Premier League and advanced to the 2019 Europa League final before losing to Chelsea.
Without a question, he has done an incredible job of turning around Villa’s fortunes. Since his tenure, he has amassed 115 points in the Premier League. Only Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City have.
For Villa, the contract extension represents more than just managerial continuity. It’s an aspirational declaration from the club’s driven ownership.
Emery’s dedication reflects the dreams and ambition of the team to rise to the top of the league. Now that the team is in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, Villa supporters are more upbeat about the club’s future under his direction.
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