Good article:
EMERY'S MIRACULOUS THREE YEARS IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE
- fourth in points and last in investment
BY DIEGO PICÓ (google translated).
The Basque coach has returned Aston Villa to the top positions in England and Europe with the lowest investment (transfers-sales) in the Premier League.
Three years ago, on October 24, 2022, Unai Emery arrived in the Premier League . It was his second spell, and this time the challenge of refloating Aston Villa was enormous. In these three years, his impact on the English league has been more than considerable. He has restored the luster to the Birmingham team, one of the classics of British football and which had been in the sports ICU for decades.
With the Basque at the helm and surrounded by a team with a Spanish accent, everything has changed. They have returned to the front line, rubbing shoulders with the Big Six and surpassing many of its members every season, and have reached unsuspected heights in Europe (falling to PSG in the Champions League quarterfinals). "Emery is any owner's dream ," that praise that resonates loudly in the Villanian environment has a solid foundation that makes Unai's miracle even more incredible.
"It's been three very positive years. We're enjoying ourselves, competing, but we're definitely still building what we want. When I arrived here, ownership gave me the opportunity to build a culture. They gave me a project with every meaning, surrounding me with my staff and executives. It's a difficult situation to find in football. I'm grateful to Wes, Nassef, and Michael (the owners) for always fulfilling their role and for the responsibility they've given me," Unai told MARCA.
Spanish club Villa has achieved success in record time and has also done so while generating profits. In fact, their net transfer investment figures place them as the best of those that have been in the Premier League for the last three full years. A €30 million deficit, which none of the teams they have competed against have. Everyone, from City to Brentford, has a higher net investment (transfer spending less money earned from sales) than Villa.
"Beyond the anniversary, we have goals to achieve. Having taken the club to Europe three years in a row and reaching the Champions League quarterfinals is a reflection of the fact that we are competitive; every single person at Aston Villa competes. And now we only look to improve and to the future."
Aston Villa's stats since Emery's arrival. MARCA
The Ondarribia-born manager adds to this situation his ability to score points. They are the fourth-best team in the last three years, averaging 1.78 points per game, surpassed only by Guardiola's City (2.15), Arteta's Arsenal (2.13), and Klopp's Liverpool (2.10).
"The Premier League is currently the toughest league in the world due to the number of teams striving for lofty goals. There are six or seven teams that currently have more income than us, and surely behind them are five or six clubs that want to grow like us and are close to our budget, but that hasn't been an excuse to fight to be with the best, and it won't be in the future."
The great miracle is keeping up with these teams, considering the difference in investment. Arsenal has generated a net investment of 527 million, Liverpool 369 million, and City 361 million. These figures are far removed from the 30 million savings that make Villa's owners (American Wes Edens, Egyptian Nassef Sawiris, and Michael Angelakis (the last to become the owner), who bought the club in 2018 and took full ownership a year later) hold Unai and his team in high regard. Sporting and financial success, hand in hand, is the dream of any owner... and even more so in the world of football, where losses are a constant.
Unai's third anniversary in the Premier League comes with his reaction to a difficult start in the league. The summer has been tough, transfer-wise, and the departure of Monchi and the arrival of Olabe have been hastened , to lead the way in the new transfer windows.
In this three-year period, Villa, despite its evident sporting growth, is only the 12th club out of 16 in gross spending on transfers. Villa have spent 355 million, compared to Chelsea's 1,146 million, City's 710 million, and United's 707 million. The investment is what it is, but it's reflected not only in signings but also in the ability to retain talent. During this period, we've sold players with high market value, but we've also reinvested in good players and in higher salaries for players who would have been impossible to keep before. We have an organized club that strives to be efficient. The players are committed to the club and to the idea of the game."
Beyond the sporting revival and the return to Europe, along with moderate spending and net savings, Emery has managed to generate a stable structure that has taken Villa to another level. This is illustrated by the more than 30,000 fans of the team who are on the waiting list to become members and have their seats at Villa Park, which has been sold out for every game in the last three seasons.
"We didn't come here to make a lot of signings or change the entire squad; we're here to compete, get performances, and be efficient. And it's a source of pride to have signed talent, but also that ten players who were here three years ago are still with us and are becoming increasingly recognized.
"The stability of this magnificent group of players is a key asset",
concludes the Basque manager.
