Aston Villa insider: Unai Emery could be 'available soon' in dramatic twist

Unai Emery could be the next top manager to leave their club this season if Aston Villa's new signings do not hit the ground running.

That is the opinion of former senior Villa scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.

The 54-year-old has overseen the overhaul of his squad this summer, with six of the players to have started May's Europa League final no longer at the club.

Villa have replaced their losses with 10 new players but many of them are young and have never played in the Premier League, leaving Emery with a huge job on his hands.

Monday's 1-0 defeat to Arsenal made it three consecutive losses to start the season, but there is hope that the new additions will see the Villans start to pick up form.

Emery is under contract at Villa Park until 2029, and has never publicly strayed from his commitment to his side.

'I just have a fear' about Unai Emery

Fans will point to the start of last season when asked about the possibility of Emery's departure in the coming months.

The Villans had endured a slow and difficult summer that ultimately saw them fail to reinforce in several positions, and it showed in the opening games.

After six games across all competitions, Emery's side failed to secure a single win and had only scored two goals.

Then something clicked, and Villa would go on to win 17 of their next 19 games across all competitions.

But comparisons to this season must also take into account the losses that the team simply had not suffered like they have this summer.

"I know money and things have to be done with financial fair play and all this stuff, but to sell your goalkeeper, your centre-half, your two main midfield players, left-back and your top scorer," King told Football Insider.

"Can you imagine Arsenal doing that? Can you imagine any club that's got the Champions League and all competitions to look forward to, selling their six best players? I think it would have been a very interesting scenario for him [Emery if the players had not left].

"I just have a fear that if it don't go well this season, then he's going to be another top manager available before Christmas. You know, he's got to get results."

What has Emery said?

Although they lost, many fans came away from Villa Park on Monday feeling positive about their prospects.

Villa had competed well with the Premier League champions, and with the benefit of several more of their new players, the result may have been different.

"Villa Park is always our fortress and we should feel comfortable and confident here to achieve our good fit here, collectively and individually," said Emery after the game.

"With the energy we can create here, like we created today, and the supporters they transmitted their wishes, their push, their energy.

"We lost but we were competing. We showed this is the way that we should build the team in the next weeks, months and years.”