Aston Villa ‘must act now’ as Saudi sources speak out on Emery exit
Unai Emery and Aston Villa fans alike will be hoping the club is active in the transfer window when it reopens next week.
The first-team squad is looking weaker now that several loan players have returned to their parent clubs, yet Villa haven’t finalised any transfers thus far.
The further into the window that this remains the case, the more fans will begin to wonder how much backing that Unai Emery will receive from the board.
Saudi sources allude to potential Emery exit
There have been rumblings around Villa Park that Emery has been disappointed by the amount of money made available to him in previous transfer windows.
He was able to use loan signings to improve his squad in January, but his team ultimately fell short of Champions League qualification on goal difference.
If he’s not backed in the transfer market this summer, the Spanish manager’s discontent could reach boiling point.
Saudi Arabian news website Al-Riyadh (11 June) has speculated about the potential availability of Emery should a local side be searching for a new manager.
Al-Nassr, the club of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jhon Duran, may well be hunting for a new manager soon, as they went trophyless under the guidance of Stefano Pioli this season.
Al-Riyadh reported via sources that there has been no contact between Al-Nassr and Emery yet.
Still, if Emery continues to sense a lack of ambition from the Villa board, that could change.
Villa board must act now to keep Emery onside
Emery is an ambitious manager. He wants success at the highest level, and he’s unlikely to worry about walking away from a club that’s not prepared to help him get there.
A move to Saudi Arabia seems unlikely for the Spaniard, but there are plenty of top clubs in Europe who could start sniffing around if it becomes clear that Emery is frustrated in his role.
That’s the nature of the sport.
| Aston Villa final Premier League positions under Unai Emery | |
| 2022-23 | 7th |
| 2023-24 | 4th |
| 2024-25 | 6th |
The majority of Villa’s fans would agree that Emery is the man to lead the club back to the Champions League. The board will surely feel the same.
So, they need to act now and back their manager with the funds to help him make it happen.
If they don’t, they risk losing him to a club with more ambition.
Links to players like Axel Disasi and Harvey Barnes are encouraging, but Emery will need more if Villa are to re-earn a place among Europe’s elite clubs next season.