Days after sacking Steven Gerrard, Aston Villa has appointed former Arsenal manager Unai Emery as Gerrard’s successor. Emery took over Arsenal after Arsene Wenger departed the club in 2018. He was sacked the next year after failing to guide the team to a top4 finish. He was hired by Villarreal in July 2020, where he won the Europa League in his first season and guided the club to a Champions League semi-final run in the following season. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Official confirmed Aston Villa will pay the full €6m release clause to Villarreal and the salary will be around €7m/per year.
According to Aston Villa on their Facebook page:
Aston Villa is delighted to announce the appointment of Unai Emery as the club’s new Head Coach.
Unai joins from Villarreal, whom he led to Europa League success by beating Manchester United in the final in 2021 as well as the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.
A highly experienced top-level coach who has managed over 900 games, Unai has also previously managed in the Premier League during a spell with Arsenal, leading the Gunners to a Europa League final.
He has also enjoyed notable success at Sevilla and Paris Saint Germain. In Seville, he won three successive Europa League titles between 2013 and 2016 before going on to lift a Ligue 1 championship in France as well as two French Cups, two French League Cups and two Trophée des Champions.
Unai will take over from November 1st after his work permit formalities are completed.
