Manchester United reportedly made an enquiry over Aston Villa manager Unai Emery before appointing Ruben Amorim.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery.
Manchester United have reportedly made a previous enquiry over Aston Villa boss Unai Emery. (Image: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire.)
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Manchester United reportedly made an enquiry about Aston Villa manager Unai Emery before appointing Ruben Amorim last season.
After a 14-month tenure, Amorim was dismissed by United last week. This followed a fiery post-match press conference after the 1-1 Premier League draw with Leeds United.
Since making the decision, United have been searching for a successor. They've decided to appoint an interim manager until the end of the season, with a more permanent appointment planned for the summer.
Caretaker manager Darren Fletcher has overseen the last two matches - a 2-2 draw with Burnley in the Premier League and a 2-1 loss against Brighton in the FA Cup third round.
United are expected to make an interim appointment ahead of the Premier League clash against Manchester City on Saturday (12.30pm kick-off). Michael Carrick is now the favourite to return to the club, with the former Middlesbrough boss holding further talks today (Monday).
While it appears that progress is being made on the appointment until the end of the season, there's still uncertainty about who might take over in the summer. The Daily Mail suggests that Emery could be a potential candidate.
United are said to have approached Villa about the manager before they appointed Amorim. With the Spanish boss continuing to shine, it's likely that the interest will still be there.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery gestures on the touchline during the Premier League match at Villa Park.
Unai Emery continues to impress with the job he is doing at Aston Villa. (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.)
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However, there are expected to be 'obstacles' to any appointment. Unsurprisingly, Villa will fight tooth and nail to retain the manager who has guided them to Champions League qualification.
This would make any deal extremely costly for United to finalise. It is further noted that Emery is a manager who prefers complete control at a football club, which he has at Villa.
Amorim's resistance against a lack of autonomy was one of the reasons behind his departure from Old Trafford. Therefore, structural changes at United would likely be necessary if an appointment of Emery is to be possible.
The former Arsenal boss has been with Villa since replacing Steven Gerrard in November 2022. He has been lauded for the job he has done at Villa Park, with the team currently sitting in third place in the Premier League table.
Among the other names linked with a potential permanent move to United in the summer are Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, Fulham's Marco Silva and former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez. Reports in Spain suggest the latter may be open to joining United.
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