Unai Emery, the Aston Villa manager, is close to agreeing a contract extension, which would give him greater responsibility for the club's long-term development. Emery held talks with the board on Wednesday about the club's future, with all parties keen to extend his time at Villa Park.
Discussions are ongoing regarding the details, financial terms and length of the new contract. The plan is to announce the new deal once all details are agreed, though an announcement is unlikely to come before the weekend. Emery was already under contract until 2029, but is now close to signing a new, longer-term deal.
On Wednesday evening, Villa issued a statement confirming a meeting had taken place between Emery, club chairman Nassef Sawiris, director Robert Olabe and Damian Vidagany. The club stated that the discussions focused on jointly planning the club's long-term strategic direction and that positive talks had established a clear commitment beyond 2029 for the club's joint development under the sporting leadership of Unai Emery. The aim is to build an ambitious, competitive Aston Villa capable of taking on the biggest challenges and achievements.
Emery celebrated four years at the club last month, and in May he led the team to the Europa League title, which was Villa's first major trophy in 30 years. He has transformed the side from one battling relegation to one that has qualified for European football competition every season under his guidance. Villa are currently 10th in the Premier League and have won three of their four opening matches in the Champions League.
Emery has been linked with a move to Manchester United, and Villa play Manchester United at Old Trafford this weekend. Emery is a former manager of Arsenal, Sevilla and Paris St-Germain, and joined Villa in 2022 from Villarreal. Last month, Villa threatened legal action against commentator and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher after he suggested Emery would be a good choice if Manchester United were looking for a new manager and told the club's fans to 'shut up'. Villa dropped the threat after Carragher apologised.
