Unai Emery is one of the leading names on Newcastle United’s shortlist of potential Steve Bruce replacements, according to The Times.
The lowdown
The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope says there’s ‘no doubt’ that Bruce will soon be dismissed in the wake of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur, which has left Newcastle 19th in the Premier League table.
Emery is currently in charge at La Liga outfit Villarreal, who are competing in this season’s Champions League after beating Manchester United on penalties to win the 2020/21 Europa League final.
It was the fourth time Emery had won the competition after an earlier hat-trick with Sevilla, and the 10th major trophy he has won in his managerial career (via Transfermarkt).
The Spaniard has taken 34 victories from 68 matches in charge of the Yellow Submarine, equating to a 50% win percentage, while he has previously managed two huge clubs in Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.
He left the Parc des Princes after being informed that his contract would not be renewed, and he was sacked by Arsenal after a seven-game winless run nearly two years ago.
The latest
The report from The Times claimed that Newcastle will ‘step up their search’ for Bruce’s successor this week.
Emery has now emerged as one of the top contenders for the position on Tyneside, with Rangers boss Steven Gerrard and Belgium’s Roberto Martinez also named as principal candidates.
The verdict
It had previously been reported that Newcastle would only pursue out-of-work managers, but now it seems they’re willing to incur the costs of luring a big name from elsewhere.
Emery’s record is mixed and it’s hard to imagine that the appointment would win unanimous approval.
We should remember, though, that the season before things went south at the Emirates Stadium in his last taste of his English football, he had overseen a 22-game unbeaten run, while he had been hailed as an “outstanding” manager by Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis.
It’s fair to say he’s been rebuilding his reputation at Villarreal, while his trophy-winning record should appeal to Newcastle supporters, who have been starved of major silverware for more than 50 years now.
In other news, could this be a dream hire for Newcastle?
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