Aston Villa: Dan Bardell shares likelihood of Unai Emery leaving Villa Park for Liverpool
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery is unlikely to be on the shortlist at Liverpool despite his impressive tenure so far at Villa Park, according to Dan Bardell.
Jurgen Klopp has announced that he will be leaving Anfield at the end of the season after more than eight years on Merseyside in a tenure that has seen him lift the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and other honours.
Naturally, talk has already begun over who could take up the German’s space in the Liverpool dugout, with Emery’s name suggested in some circles following Villa’s excellent season so far in the Premier League.
Bardell believes the Reds job is a harder act to follow than when the Spaniard replaced Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, adding that he would be “absolutely shocked” if Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso doesn’t take over at Anfield.
Speaking exclusively to Villa News, Bardell said: “If I was Liverpool, I would look at what he’s done and he’d definitely be on my shortlist. I hope he’s not, but I can’t see what more he could do to be on a shortlist like that.
“He doesn’t strike me as the type of manager that they would go for and it’s a tough act to follow Jurgen Klopp. It’s probably the second toughest act there has ever been in Premier League history.
“It was Emery who followed Wenger and it didn’t go that well. I think this is actually a bigger ask than following Wenger because Arsenal had been in decline for a few years. Liverpool are still after Manchester City the best team in the Premier League.
“I don’t think he’ll be the type of manager that they’ll go for. I do think it will be Xabi Alonso or Roberto De Zerbi. I would be absolutely shocked if it wasn’t Alonso.
“But for any big job, he should be in the discussion because he is an elite manager. The good thing for Villa is that Emery’s successes have come with teams at the size of Villa rather than one of the elite clubs.
“I think that would be the question mark that hangs over Emery and that would be unfair, but I do think a question mark is there. I don’t think he will be on Liverpool’s shortlist, I don’t think Villa be batting off any approaches.”
Unai Emery has a long-term plan at Aston Villa
It seems like Emery is more than content at Villa after he has been given the freedom to shape the playing side of the club in the way he wants to.
As Bardell points out, it perhaps is a bigger job to replace Klopp than when the Spaniard came in for Wenger at Arsenal and that would probably put doubts in his mind over a move to Anfield.
The Villans fans will be keen to see him remain at Villa Park for the long term as he looks to put them on the path to continued success into the future.
In other Aston Villa news, Unai Emery may have contacted his former club after a Villa player exit has been confirmed.
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