Unai Emery is presently the frontrunner to take over as Newcastle United’s new manager. Former manager Steve Bruce left the club by mutual consent on October 20 after leading the club to a 27.4 percent win percentage in 84 league games. Since then, interim manager Graeme Jones has overseen a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace and a 3-0 loss to Chelsea.
According to the Athletic, Unai Emery appears to be the frontrunner to take over as Newcastle’s chosen candidate. Eddie Howe is said to be an alternative candidate.
Unai Emery managed Arsenal for a season before heading to Villarreal, where he won the Europa League last season by defeating Manchester United. Between 2013 and 2016, he had previously won the trophy three times in a row with Sevilla.
Villarreal has a contract with the 49-year-old coach until the summer of 2023, therefore Newcastle would have to pay a compensation package to lure him to St James’ Park. Newcastle would have to pay Villarreal six million euros to obtain Emery’s services, according to The Athletic.
No from Lampard, Gerrard and Conte?
Since the Saudi Public Investment Fund bought Newcastle for 305 million pounds on October 7, there has been a lot of conjecture about who might succeed Steve Bruce when he leaves. Many people predicted Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Antonio Conte as future successors, but that does not appear to be the case any longer.
Conte has verbally agreed to take over as Tottenham Hotpur manager, Gerrard is under contract with Rangers, and Lampard is still waiting for his chance to return to Chelsea, it looks the Magpies are looking for an ex-Arsenal manager.
Unai Emery may be the appropriate man for the job, with two years at Paris Saint-Germain, slightly over a season at Arsenal, and three years at Sevilla on his resume.
