Real Madrid identify Aston Villa's Unai Emery as top candidate for manager role: Report
(Courtesy : LaLiga)
The club sacked Xabi Alonso this season.
According to Spanish journalist Ramón Álvarez, Unai Emery would be the front-runner for the Real Madrid position if Los Blancos choose to hire a new manager once more.
In June 2025, Real Madrid named Xabi Alonso as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement. Los Blancos, who have won 20 of their 28 games this season, showed the Spaniard the exit door earlier this month.
Real Madrid appointed Álvaro Arbeloa as their first-team manager. Under his leadership, the team has won three games and lost two. This includes yesterday’s 4-2 loss to SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League league phase.
Unai Emery next possible candidate to take the Madrid job
The most qualified applicant to join Real Madrid following this season is the manager of Aston Villa. According to Álvarez de Mon, the Spanish powerhouses got in touch with him recently to inquire about the prospect of leaving Villa Park.
In October 2022, Aston Villa activated Emery’s €6 million release clause to appoint him. The manager’s contract at Villa Park expires in 2029. There have been conflicting reports over whether and to what extent he has a release clause.
Damià Vidagany, the director of Aston Villa, stated on Christmas Eve that Emery isn’t appreciated enough in Spain since he hasn’t managed Real Madrid or FC Barcelona.
Having previously led major teams like Arsenal and PSG, Emery also has strong coaching credentials in Spain, where he has managed lesser-known sides such as Valencia and Villarreal.
Real Madrid maintain an eye on the possibilities of making a managerial change in the summer, but nothing specific has been announced as of yet.
Additionally, Emery would be one of the most qualified contenders to take over at the Santiago Bernabeu job if they choose to proceed with such a move.
Why is Emery the next possible candidate to take the Madrid job?
His performance at Villa has seen him become one of the underrated managers in Europe.
When will Emery’s Villans contract expire?
It will end in 2029.
Where do Aston Villa stand in the table?
They are third in the Premier League table.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.