November 01, (THEWILL) – The commitment of Aston Villa to the Unai Emery project was highlighted on Tuesday, when the new manager was given the longest management contract in the history of the Villa Park club.
Emery was officially announced as the Villans’ new manager last week, but he has not yet begun work because he is awaiting a work permit. But, Aston Villa went overboard to secure the ex-Arsenal manager with a lucrative salary and £5.2 million in compensation to bring him from Villarreal.
The contract binds the Spaniard to Villa for at least four and a half years, surpassing the three-and-a-half-year contract Steven Gerrard, the former manager, received, and the four-year contract Remi Garde signed in 2015.
Villa’s dedication to Emery is further demonstrated by his plans to hire up to eight new backroom staff personnel as part of a massive staff purge that could result in the relocation of caretaker manager, Aaron Danks, to a new position.
Villa is currently just one point above the relegation zone and owners, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, are keen to get the team back into European competition. With four UEFA Europa League titles with Sevilla and Villarreal, Emery has a strong pedigree in that area and is expected to make it happen at Villa Park.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
