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
Unai Emery insists the opportunity to become the new head coach of Aston Villa was too good to turn down.
The former Arsenal boss will officially start work at Villa Park on November 1, once he has finalised 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.
He told a final press conference in Spain: “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.