Unai Emery joined Villarreal in 2020 and led the club to Europa League glory and the Champions League semi-finals; Spaniard previously had a spell in charge of Arsenal and turned down Newcastle last year; Aston Villa sacked Steven Gerrard last week.
The former Arsenal boss will officially start work at Villa Park on November 1, once he has finalized a work permit, after agreeing to leave Villarreal.
He had spent two years with the Yellow Submarine, winning the Europa League in 2021, but could not pass up the opportunity to succeed Steven Gerrard at Villa.
“Here I have felt something of heart again, but the profession is within me.
“This one, I have considered that I had to take it, as a sports challenge, as a different project.
“It is a personal and professional decision. I left home at the age of 24 and opened myself up to the professional world of football with all the consequences.”
He told a final press conference in Spain.
Emery joins Villa with the club 15th in the Premier League after they sacked Gerrard last week.
Caretaker Aaron Danks guided the side to a 4-0 win over Brentford on Sunday and is due to be in charge again for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle.
Emery rejected a move to St James’ Park last year as he wanted to continue Villarreal’s Champions League journey.
Prior to moving to the Premier League, Emery won a Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain, as well as two French Cups and two French League Cups. He also won three Europa Leagues with Sevilla which, combined with the fourth he won with Villarreal, makes him the most successful manager in the competition’s history.
Gerrard’s exit came 11 months after he moved to Villa Park from Rangers, where he led the side to their first Scottish league title in 10 years.
But the former England captain was unable to replicate that success south of the border, winning just 13 of his 40 matches in charge before being sacked immediately after Villa’s 3-0 defeat at Fulham on Thursday.
Source: Sky Sports
