Unai Emery made favourite to take Newcastle Utd job

Could Emery be coming back to the Premier League

Unai Emery is the favourite to become the next Newcastle United manager according to Sport1 chief reporter, Patrick Berger (no, not the ex-Liverpool player). Newcastle have been without a manager since sacking Steve Bruce, with his former assistant Graeme Jones taking charge while the search for a permanent manager continues. The Magpies have struggled in the Premier League and are yet to win this season, sitting second from bottom in the table, but with an embarrassment of riches at their disposal they now have plans to challenge at the top for trophies. And it seems that former Arsenal manager Emery has caught the eye of the new owners and they are willing to pay a sizeable sum to pay him out of his current contract at Europa League holders Villarreal. https://twitter.com/berger_pj/status/1455130366340173827?s=20 A host of names have been linked with the job at St James' Park ranging from Paulo Fonseca to Lucien Favre but it now appears that the Spaniard is a clear frontrunner according to the report from Germany. Unlike the previous two names mentioned, Emery does have experience in the Premier League having spent a year and a half at Arsenal before being sacked by the Gunners. Despite the 49-year-old's previous success in winning silverware, his time at Arsenal was often ridiculed for a dull style of play whilst he was also mocked for his interviews but it seems he's had the last laugh since returning to Spain after winning Villarreal their first-ever major honour. He has struggled to sustain that run with the Yellow Submarine, though, as Villarreal sit 13th in La Liga after losing to Valencia at the weekend. According to the Chronicle, behind Emery in the list of favourites for the job include Belgium boss Roberto Martinez and Eddie Howe. Related links:

• Steve Bruce sacked as Newcastle United manager
• Newcastle hold talks with former Roma boss Paulo Fonseca
• Steve Bruce admits it was hard to be called a ‘tactically inept cabbage head’