Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has emerged as a surprise target for Al-Ittihad.
That’s what Arriyadiyah.com, one of the biggest sports outlets in Saudi Arabia, are reporting. The club are looking for a new manager, after parting ways with Laurent Blanc on Monday. The Aston Villa boss has made it to the shortlist.
A source close to the club has told the newspaper that Jürgen Klopp is their main target. The German left Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season and has been the global director at Red Bull since January 2025.
Al-Ittihad have four other names in the ‘list of candidates’ and this is when Emery gets a mention. Along with Klopp and the Aston Villa manager, they also have Xavi Hernández, Luciano Spalletti and Sérgio Conceição on their agenda.
Arriyadiyah.com report Al-Ittihad’s leaders have opened negotiations with ‘big names in the international coaching scene’, without specifying whether they have contacted Aston Villa or Emery. Their aim is to finalise the appointment of Blanc’s successor as soon as possible.
It’s to be noted Mundo Deportivo reported yesterday that Xavi isn’t keen on moving to Saudi.
