New Aston Villa boss Unai Emery last year decided to turn down Newcastle United in order to pursue his UEFA Champions League ambitions at Villarreal. Emery was earmarked as Newcastle’s first-choice candidate to replace Steve Bruce in November 2021 but the Spaniard rejected the opportunity and Eddie Howe was instead elected to lead Newcastle into a new era under the PIF regime – a decision which is currently paying off handsomely.
Nonetheless, Emery’s arrival at Aston Villa has raised a few eyebrows, especially considering the project that he overlooked at St James’ Park just 11 months before. The 50-year-old will return to England for his second spell in the Premier League, after an 18-month spell at Arsenal resulted in him receiving the sack in 2019.
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