Emery signs new five-year contract at Aston Villa

Aston Villa's manager, Unai Emery, has just signed a new five-year contract, as announced by the Premier League club on Monday.

The 52-year-old Spaniard has been rewarded for his efforts in guiding the Birmingham-based club to a fourth-placed finish and Champions League qualification last season.

Emery has truly turned around Villa's fortunes since he arrived in October 2022, when the team was just three points above the relegation zone.

"I am very happy to take this step and the responsibility of leading this club," Emery said in an interview with Villa's website.

"Since I came to Villa with (co-owner) Wes (Edens) and (chairman) Nassef (Sawiris), we have found the best environment and structure to develop a project with the highest ambition.

"There's a great chemistry at Aston Villa, and the support of the fans makes a huge difference, making it feel like home. We are really excited to continue this journey with no limits to our dreams."

Villa's chairman, Sawiris, added, "We are building something special here at Aston Villa with Unai at its core, and we are delighted that he has signed a new deal with the club until 2029.

"As we move into our historic 150th anniversary year, there is a lot to look forward to with Unai at the helm."

Emery is a four-time Europa League winner, having previously managed Spanish clubs Sevilla and Villarreal. He also won the Ligue 1 trophy at Paris Saint-Germain and spent a year in charge of Arsenal from 2018-19.

Under his guidance, Villa, the 1982 European Cup winners, achieved a seventh-place finish in the Premier League in 2023 and have now returned to European club football's elite competition after an absence of more than 40 years.