Unai Emery exit verdict shared at Aston Villa by pundit amid Chelsea and Tottenham manager searches
We’re delighted to welcome former Aston Villa full-back Alan Hutton as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Villa Park…
Alan Hutton doubts clubs like Chelsea and Tottenham would make a move to hire Unai Emery as their manager despite how well he’s done so far at Aston Villa.
Since being hired by the Villans in November, the 51-year-old has overseen 10 wins in 16 Premier League matches.
Villa, as a result, are now making a shock last-ditch bid to qualify for European football next season as they currently sit seventh in the top flight – only six points shy of fourth.
Chelsea and Spurs are currently without a permanent manager after sacking Graham Potter – after Villa’s win at Stamford Bridge at the weekend – and Antonio Conte respectively.
However, Hutton doesn’t see either of those, nor any other big Premier League club, having a go at hiring the former Arsenal boss due to the fact he’s only just getting start at Villa Park.
When asked if clubs could come in for Emery in the summer, Hutton told Villa News: “I wouldn’t have thought so.
“You can never say never in football – anything can happen because it’s a crazy game. But he’s only just got there, he’s only just getting his feet under the table and getting the team playing the way he wants them to play.
“And it’s working. He’s doing really well.
“I think he’ll have the same ambitions as the club moving forward to try and get them into Europe, to bring in his own players, to make it his team.
“He’s got a long way to go at Aston Villa so I’d be very, very surprised if anything like that happened.”
Emery has managed Valencia, Sevilla, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal in his career.
He’s won three Europa League titles with Sevilla and another one with Villarreal while also winning Ligue at PSG.
In other Aston Villa news, the club’s academy staff have been slammed over a Phil Foden nickname.