Unai Emery: Aston Villa fans must not get too comfortable as Europe’s top clubs eye manager
Jamie Carragher has warned Aston Villa fans to not get too comfortable with Unai Emery’s presence as he fears a Champions League club will soon come calling for the Spaniard.
Emery has revitalised the fortunes of the midlands club since his arrival in November 2022, with only Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool picking up more Premier League points in that period. Having guided Villa to a seventh-place finish last season and a return to Europe for the first time in 13 years, the 52-year-old has continued to work wonders this campaign with his side currently sitting just one point off the top four.
However, Sky Sports pundit Carragher believes his superb start to the season will already have bigger clubs eyeing up a move for his services.
‘Aston Villa should cherish Unai Emery while they can,’ the former Liverpool defender said in his column for The Telegraph. ‘It is a matter of time before an established Champions League club makes him an offer he can’t refuse. After his experiences at Arsenal and Paris St-Germain, Emery is a coach with unfinished business at the top level.’
Emery’s big move came after a sustained period of success with Sevilla which saw him win the Europa League three seasons in a row. However, the Spaniard never managed to hit the same heights and deliver success at the top clubs, with his time at both PSG and Arsenal ending prematurely.
Having rebuilt his reputation at Villareal and now Villa, Carragher believes Emery is ready for another big job again and can put behind him the two difficult tasks he faced in Paris and north London.
‘Replacing a legendary figure such as Arsene Wenger at Arsenal was almost as daunting as it was for David Moyes being Sir Alex Ferguson’s immediate successor, while Emery’s domestic success at PSG was overshadowed by Champions League disappointment,’ he argued.
‘Now Villa have given him the platform from which he will get his next opportunity. Over the last 12 months, no coach in Europe has had such a profound impact at a club of Villa’s stature. You can guarantee it will not be long before he is coaching in the Champions League again.’
It is clear that Emery has been a revelation at Villa Park and has been able to bring out the best in players such as Ollie Watkins, Jack Grealish and John McGinn. His tactical nous and ability to get the best out of his players has been key to their success this season and it