Newcastle United target Unai Emery to take over as manager

The new era at Newcastle United looks to have a starting point, as the new hierarchy has targeted Villarreal manager Unai Emery to succeed Steve Bruce.

The former Arsenal boss is said to be seriously considering taking up Newcastle’s proposal and could be appointed before the Toon’s Premier League game against Brighton on Saturday.

Despite the Spaniard’s mutual interest in moving back to England, there is still a lot of work to be done, as Emery is under contract with Villareal until 2023.

Newcastle have also held talks with Paulo Fonseca, who looked set to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe.

"Unai Emery favorite now to become the new manager of Newcastle United, sources telling @SPORT1. #NUFC board pushing as they want to present the former Arsenal boss in the next international break. @NUFC keen to pay a huge transfer fee to get Emery out of his Villarreal contract."

Emery is known for his constant success in the UEFA Europa League, having won the competition three years in a row in his time at Sevilla, and winning it once again last year, as his team beat Manchester United on penalties.

The Spaniard’s last foray into English football came at Arsenal, where he took over from long-standing manager, Arsene Wenger. In his first season in North London, he led the Gunners to a fifth-place finished and was runners up in the Europa League.

Despite a positive first full season, the team’s form would fall and Emery would be sacked in November of 2019, before returning to management in Spain, in 2020.

It appears Emery would strive for the challenge that Newcastle United offers, and regardless of his poor stint at perennial French Champions, Paris Saint Germain, he could be the best stopgap manager to get Newcastle on track towards the big times.