Real Madrid are plotting a shock move for Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, according to reports in Spain, as Alvaro Arbeloa’s short and unhappy reign edges towards an inevitable end.
The Bernabeu is heading for a rare trophyless season. Nine points behind Barcelona in La Liga. Knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich. Out of the Copa del Rey. Out of the Spanish Super Cup.
It has been a campaign of upheaval. Carlo Ancelotti left last summer. Xabi Alonso came and went within six months. Arbeloa was promoted from Castilla in January.
Now? The revolving door is spinning again.
‘Arbeloa’s stage seems to be nearing its end’
Spanish outlet Fichajes claims the club are actively working on finding Arbeloa’s replacement. The former defender has overseen the Champions League exit and failed to inspire any kind of league resurgence.
“Arbeloa’s stage seems to be nearing its end,” the report states. Several names are being bandied about. And one is gaining prominence.
Unai Emery.
The Aston Villa boss has rebuilt his reputation in England. Meticulous. Tactically astute. A clear identity. All things the Madrid hierarchy have apparently noticed.
Klopp remains ‘ideal’ but complicated
Emery is not the only name on the list. Jurgen Klopp remains at the top of Madrid’s wish list. The German’s experience and personality make him the “ideal” option.
But negotiations would be “complex.” Klopp walked away from Liverpool because he was burned out. Madrid is not exactly a relaxing alternative.
Emery, by contrast, is seen as more “realistic.” He has nothing left to prove in England. He has won the Europa League four times. He knows how to handle big egos and big occasions.
The Villa factor
Emery joined Aston Villa in 2022 and has transformed the club. They are competing for Europe. They play with structure and intensity. He was ranked No.9 in FourFourTwo’s list of the game’s best managers last year.
Would he leave that for the chaos of the Bernabeu? That is the question.
Madrid believe they can convince him. The project is huge. The budget is limitless. The prestige is unmatched.
But Emery has been burned by big clubs before. His spell at Arsenal did not end well. He will want guarantees.
The bottom line
Arbeloa is almost certainly gone. The only question is who replaces him.
Klopp is the dream. Emery is the more realistic option. There are others on the list too.
But the fact that Emery’s name is even being mentioned tells you everything about Madrid’s desperation. They are casting a wide net. And they are willing to look anywhere for the man to rebuild this fallen giant.
Shock move? Perhaps. But in a season of shocks at the Bernabeu, nothing would surprise anyone anymore.