Unai Emery has everything he wants at Aston Villa.
The staff, the authority, the supportive owners who support him all the way, and even a regular charter flight from Birmingham to Spain every time he wants to return home.
As reported exclusively in Athleticism On Tuesday, Villa opted to reward Emery by triggering the clause in his contract to extend his current contract until 2027 before intending to sit out this summer to further extend the terms.
Emery’s extension comes amid speculation linking him to the looming vacancy at German Champions League semi-finalist and series title winner Bayern Munich. It was only on Sunday that the 52-year-old Spaniard was questioned about this information.
“I’m focused here, 100 percent,” Emery said.
Sources, like others in this article, speaking on condition of anonymity to protect relationships, say Emery’s decision to entrust his future to Villa, who are fourth in the Premier League with four games remaining and on course for a first Champions League qualification since they were reigning champions of the old European Cup in 1982, is testament to the close relationship formed with club co-owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens. Both parties share some enthusiasm about what Villa can achieve under Emery, believing that all key decision-makers are aligned in their thinking.
Edens and Sawiris want Emery’s tenure, which began in October 2022, to replicate the authority and longevity that Arsène Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson had at the start of the Premier League era with Arsenal and Manchester United respectively . And above all, Emery feels the same way.
This is why, basically, reports of a summer move to Bayern were deemed extremely unlikely. Bayern don’t tend to cede power to a manager or give him the type of authority and allow the number of assistants Emery would like. They also have leaders who publicly address and speak, in what would be closer to the setup he experienced in 18 months as Wenger’s successor at Arsenal from 2018 to 2019 than that at Villa.
People familiar with the matter say Emery’s camp has not received any contact from Bayern at any time.
Emery’s commitment to Villa has been greeted enthusiastically by sources close to their players, with several members of the dressing room recognizing the improvements they have made since his arrival. The hours and meetings under his leadership are long, but the team’s results have validated Emery’s meticulous preparation methods and, as a result, the players’ buy-in is complete.
Forward Ollie Watkins, captain John McGinn and defender Ezri Konsa have moved to the next level under his leadership.
A source joked that Emery, who often films his analysis footage himself, would work after 8 p.m. on Friday, disrupting their weekend plans.
Young players consider being coached by Emery a privilege, citing his experience working with world-class players at clubs like Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain and Villarreal, as well as Arsenal. His reputation, as a manager with a string of domestic and European trophies to his name, carries significant cachet and players naturally want to stand out and impress him.
Villa represented Emery’s second chance in the Premier League and this time nothing was going to be left to chance.
He assessed his demise at Arsenal, sacked after less than 18 months in November 2019, and admitted he had not paid enough attention to off-field matters, with his thinking often insular and kept in an immediate footballing bubble .
Ultimately, internal politics, including a changing hierarchical structure and owners estranged from the club who did not fully understand the project, proved too much. Emery remained confident that in time Arsenal would reap the long-term rewards of his labor. So he was surprised that their faith evaporated so quickly.
So, after being appointed at Villa, Emery intended to build a structure robust enough to withstand dips in form and, above all, to share a working relationship with owners who were on the same page.
He quickly gained permission to continue reorganizing the club in his own image, believing that a stable and stable environment is more important than simply having money to spend in the transfer market. Edens and Sawiris were enthusiastic about the “Emery Project” and wanted to create a conducive network around it. His relationship with them is said to be vastly superior to the one he had with key decision-makers at Arsenal, such as chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and then director of football Raul Sanllehi.
Those close to Emery now see Villa’s set-up as comparable to last season’s treble winners Manchester City in terms of building a team around a figurehead manager. They note that even in the fairly rare cases where City have missed out on trophies in recent years, there is a strong enough structure to address shortcomings quickly, whilst remaining supportive of manager Pep Guardiola.
Importantly, Guardiola shares a close friendship with the leaders of City’s football department – director of football Txiki Begiristain and general manager Ferran Soriano – which has offered him greater and deeper support.
Emery and the group of close associates he has brought to Villa see club structure as the main ingredient for success.
Villa granted Emery increased autonomy to shape their football department last summer, after guiding a team that was fourth when he was hired seven months earlier to a seventh-place finish, securing a place in the Europa Conference League ( they are now in the semi-final). -finals of this competition). This was universally appreciated by the manager and his support staff, aware that this was not the position at most big clubs.
With a Spanish-speaking contingent of more than two dozen, Emery looked for people he knew and could trust. Sources close to the dressing room expect him to strengthen his squad again this summer.
He has a first-rate team behind the scenes, made up of coaches, analysts and doctors. The job title of Emery’s personal assistant and closest friend, Damian Vidagany, changed during the offseason from personal assistant to director of football.
Ramon Verdejo, known throughout the match as Monchi, arrived from Sevilla as president of football operations. Like Vidagany, his goal was to provide a stable base and a caliber of players suited to Emery’s needs. The hierarchy structure became a triangle of power involving all three men. Vidagany’s mission, as he described it to Athleticism is to “implement Emery and Monchi’s strategy”.
Sporting director Johan Lange stepped away from the day-to-day running of the club to help the owners with their plans to include Villa in a multi-club model before eventually joining fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at the start of the season, at alongside the sports director. recruiting Rob Mackenzie.
“What we need to do here is let Unai make the sporting decisions, let Monchi choose the players with Unai, and we will all provide a solid structure – like a fortress – to give them time to develop the project,” he said. said Vidagany. . “Because ultimately, the difference between success and failure is time.
“We are lucky to work at Villa. You have no idea how lucky Aston Villa are to have these owners. What we found here were owners who were financially committed but respectful of heritage.
“We knew from the first moment that we were not going to be Manchester City or Manchester United, but we knew that if we are professional and explain the plan, the owners will commit to the plan. Aston Villa have a big project, because owners respect the club and a loyal fan base.
Emery’s previous contract was worth around £6 million ($7.5 million) per year, putting him in the top tier of Premier League managers. His value to Villa, however, far exceeds that, both footballingly and commercially.
Last month, Villa recorded a huge loss of £119.6 million after tax in their year-end accounts for 2022-23.
Although Villa said the figures were in line with the “strategic business plan” and the club “operates within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR)”, they came dangerously close to a violation of these regulations, with on-the-ground decision-makers, like President of Business Operations Chris Heck, making concerted efforts to rapidly increase revenue streams.
The club pulled out of contracts with partners such as kit manufacturer Castore and front-of-shirt sponsor BK8, before signing more lucrative deals elsewhere. Other sponsorship agreements, notably on club clothing, have been explored in recent months.
The inescapable feeling however is that if Villa continue to spend based on the team’s on-field performance and/or to remain conservative when it comes to PSR, they will likely have to sell a current first-team player for a substantial profit. — especially given the significant losses suffered. This has given rise to the consideration of £50m-rated midfielder Jacob Ramsey, of interest to clubs such as Newcastle United in this year’s winter transfer window, due to the 22-year-old’s status. years as a local academy graduate counting as pure bookable profit, which would alleviate PSR issues. .
Holding on to fourth place and securing Champions League qualification would also be key to allaying PSR’s fears, while Emery will again expect to be backed in the market over the summer.
“If Villa makes it to the Champions League, it’s worth around £35 million,” says a source close to the club involved in this financial area. Further improvements and financial rewards for wins in the first phase of the competition next season would help – should they qualify – but Villa would still need to earn more money to completely allay concerns.
When it comes to Emery, however, Villa believes he is worth investing in, with the club geared towards his way of working and his support network. He is at the origin of their current success, enthusiastically supported by the owners.
High-profile figures involved in non-football issues have said so Athleticism that other aspects of Villa need to catch up by reflecting the progress made under Emery’s leadership. This is reflected in recruitment, where the Spaniard is not just signing ‘second rate’ players for the sake of it.
It is not fanciful that the club hopes Emery will build a dynasty at Villa Park. This contract extension is the latest demonstration of such conviction.
GO FURTHER
Relentless Villa is pushed to the finish line by a crowd that plays its role to the fullest.
(Top photo: Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)