London, Oct 25: This time, Unai Emery couldn’t resist a return to English football.
Emery left his position as Villarreal coach on Monday to take charge of Aston Villa, replacing the fired Steven Gerrard. It will be Emery’s second spell in the Premier League, having coached Arsenal in 2018-19.
He turned down the opportunity to become Newcastle manager in October last year following the purchase of the club by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, saying Villarreal was his home and he wanted to “continue being part of this project.” A year later, Emery has decided to return to England, ending his stint at Villarreal during which he won the Europa League. He also was previously coach of Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla.
Villa said Emery will start as manager on Nov. 1 after his work permit formalities are completed. His contract at Villarreal was due to expire at the end of the season and the BBC reported Villa has paid a buyout fee of around $6 million for the 50-year-old Emery. (AP)
