Unai Emery confirms Aston Villa contract talks over plans beyond 2029

Unai Emery has confirmed he is discussing a new contract with Aston Villa as the club plans for a future beyond the expiry of his existing agreement in 2029. According to reporting carried by the Guardian on Friday, the manager described a positive meeting with chairman Nassef Sawiris and indicated that further discussions would take place next week.

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Villa had announced the meeting on Wednesday, a day after their 3-0 Champions League defeat at Barcelona. In its own statement, the club said the talks addressed its long-term direction and a shared intention to continue developing under Emery's sporting leadership beyond 2029. That statement set out the parties' commitment but did not announce a signed replacement contract or specify a new expiry date.

The discussions involved more than the manager and chairman. Villa confirmed that president of football operations Roberto Olabe and director of football operations Damián Vidagany also attended. The club described the meeting as work on the foundations of its sporting and institutional future, with the aim of becoming more competitive and capable of pursuing major achievements.

Emery's comments linked his contractual future to the wider development of the club. He said his ambition was to sustain consistency while continuing to improve the structures around the team. As an example of that progress, he pointed to the decision, discussed with him last year, to build a new stand at Villa Park and accommodate more supporters.

The manager also outlined the financial and recruitment approach he wants Villa to maintain. In the Guardian's account, he described annual growth in the budget, revenue generated through European participation and the process of developing and selling players before recruiting young talent. He presented those activities as connected parts of the club's continuing development, rather than setting out a new spending figure or transfer commitment.

Emery said his conversation with Sawiris had covered how a new agreement could strengthen the project. His next stated step was to bring the points discussed together in further talks. For now, Villa's public position is a commitment to long-term planning, while the manager has confirmed that a new deal remains under discussion.