Villarreal appoint former Arsenal boss Emery on three-year deal

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – Europa League – Group F – Arsenal v Eintracht Frankfurt – Emirates Stadium, London, Britain – November 28, 2019 Arsenal manager Unai Emery reacts REUTERS/Eddie Keogh/File Photo

(Reuters) – Villarreal have hired former Arsenal manager Unai Emery as their new coach after the La Liga club parted ways with fellow Spaniard Javi Calleja, the club said on Thursday.

Emery, who was sacked by the Premier League club in November after 18 months, began his managerial career in La Liga, where he previously ran Valencia and Sevilla, who he led to three consecutive Europa League titles in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

“Villarreal CF has reached an agreement with Unai Emery for the Basque manager to be Yellows head coach for the next three seasons,” the club said in a statement here

Emery, who also managed Paris St Germain for two seasons, was let go by Arsenal after the club won only four of their 13 league matches at the start of the current season.

While success eluded him in England, Emery has a proven track record of getting Spanish teams into the Champions League, finishing third three times with Valencia in addition to his Europa League feats with Sevilla.

Calleja managed Villarreal for 15 months before being dismissed in December 2018, only to be reinstated to the post six weeks later. This season he led them to a fifth-placed finish to qualify for the Europa League.

Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson