Unai Emery’s enviable record since joining Aston Villa in November 2022 has resulted in a contract extension until 2027. The Spanish manager signed the extension on Tuesday, keeping the man at the club for the next three years.

Emery took over from Steven Gerrard with the club in sixteenth position in November 2022 and has only been bettered in terms of points won since he took over by Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool.

He’s managed an average of 1.95 points per game, the best of any Aston Villa manager. The 52-year-old helped the club to their first European football appearance since the 2010-2011 season by helping them finish seventh last season, leading to UEFA Conference League football.

Villa are set up to better that with a UEFA Champions League appearance as they are set to finish in the top four. They currently sit in fourth with sixty-six points, six points above Tottenham, who are in fifth, having played two more games than the North London club.

Despite what has been a successful start to life at Villa Park, the former Arsenal manager believes that the momentum must be maintained.

“We must maintain the hard-working spirit, clever decisions, and co-ordination with the ownership that we have found during this time. We will work to get better and better. And we will demand from each other. Ambition already is, and must always be, the motto of this project.” Emery said.

Aston Villa are still in contention for the UEFA Conference League as they will face Greek side Olympiacos in the semi-final of the competition on May 2 at Villa Park.

Before then, they host Chelsea at Villa Park this weekend with hopes of getting a win that will strengthen their chances of making the UEFA Champions League next season. Aston Villa’s last game was a 3-1 win over West Ham at the weekend.

Daniel Ademiju Idowu