Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery has made a shock return to the Premier League after Aston Villa appointed the Spaniard after Steven Gerrard was sacked.
Emery was appointed as manager at the Emirates Stadium at the end of the 2017/18 season, replacing club legend Arsene Wenger. The Spaniard signed a two-year deal with an option to extend for a third, but was sacked after just a year and a half in north London.
Emery took Arsenal to the Europa League final but the Gunners were beaten by London rivals Chelsea in a 4-1 defeat. After a poor run of results, the Spaniard was sacked and replaced by interim manager Freddie Ljungberg before Mikel Arteta was appointed as the north London outfit's new boss, a decision which is now beginning to pay off.
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Emery found success in his next managerial venture back in Spain as he took over at Villarreal, beating Manchester United in the 2020/21 Europa League final. His success in Europe was one of the key factors which saw him initially takeover from Wenger at the Emirates Stadium after he led Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League titles.
The Spaniard is now set for a return to the Premier League after Aston Villa announced they had activated his release clause, allowing him to leave the La Liga outfit and replace Steven Gerrard at Villa Park. Emery will become Villa boss on November 1 once his work permit details are finalised as he looks to enjoy a better stint in the English top-flight compared to his spell at Arsenal.
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