Aston Villa's Unai Emery and ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp linked with mega money job after sacking
Unai Emery has been shortlisted for a managerial role in the Saudi Pro League.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has been included on the shortlist for new manager targets at a Saudi Arabia club.
.jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65)
The Villans boss has been with the club now since 2022, after a two-year stint with Villarreal, which followed his dismissal from Arsenal.
Prior to his return to the Premier League, Newcastle United had approached Emery to replace Steve Bruce following the Saudi takeover. The club’s hierarchy had been confident of securing his signature but Emery turned the opportunity down to stay in Spain. Less than a year later, he agreed to become the Aston Villa manager.
Now, Saudi Arabian decision makers have earmarked the 53-year-old once again, as Al-Ittihad are looking for the next head coach.
Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittihad shortlist Unai Emery and Jurgen Klopp
Reigning Saudi Pro League champions are on the market for a new manager after sacking French coach Lauren Blanc. Due to ‘poor results’, the club are now looking to take things in a different direction under management. According to Arriyadiyah, Al-Ittihad have made former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp their top target, but he isn’t the only high profile name on their radar.
Klopp is currently the Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull and rumours have continued to swirl around whether he will return to coaching at all in the near future. One thing for certain is that he vowed he would never manage another English side after leaving Liverpool.
Emery is also on Al-Ittihad’s shortlist, along with Barcelona and Spain legend Xavi and former Italian national team manager Luciano Spalletti. Portuguese coach Sergio Conceicao has also been mentioned but he is ‘considered a less likely candidate’. Conceicao last managed AC Milan before being sacked after a dismal eighth-place Serie A finish last season.
Who currently plays for Al-Ittihad?
There will be some familiar faces at Al-Ittihad if either Emery or Klopp were to be tempted by the job. The former Liverpool boss would be reunited with his old player Fabinho, who he signed from AS Monaco back in 2018. Liverpool sold Fabinho to the Saudi side in 2023, when the Reds experienced a hefty midfield exodus. Jordan Henderson also left the club that summer, reuniting with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq in what would turn out to be a nightmare move for all involved.
Emery would be reunited with Moussa Diaby, who left Aston Villa last summer to join the Jeddah club. Former Villa Park star Jhon Duran also left for Saudi Arabia after Al-Nassr paid a reported £65 million for his signature.
Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema is currently the captain of Al-Ittihad. He is joined by the likes of former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante and Steven Bergwijn, who previously played for Tottenham Hotspur. Emery will also recall Houssem Aouar, who played for Lyon during the Spaniard’s time as manager of Paris Saint-Germain.
The Saudi Pro League has been poaching top quality talent from the Premier League for years now, and Al-Ittihad are eager to bring in a top pedigree manager to defend their league title. Saudi Arabia’s top flight is known for spending big to get the personnel they need, so a lucrative contract can be expected for whoever agrees to take on the job.