Unai Emery will put talks with his current club Sevilla on hold as he travels to London to meet with West Ham co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, according to reports in Spain. Emery has won the Europa League two years in a row with Sevilla.
Emery had been in talks with Napoli yesterday, as the Italian club works to replace Rafa Benitez, a former West Ham target before he took the Real Madrid job. While in London, Emery will be courted by Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as West Ham, according to the Madrid newspaper Deportivo El Decano.
Odds have fallen to 3/1 on Emery being appointed the new manager for the Hammers after reports of the Spaniard’s scheduled trip to London. Former Beşiktaş manager Slaven Bilic is still the favourite for the job in east London, but is seen as a definite second-choice to Emery. Also in the running is Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa, but the French club are really working to tie down their Argentine manager with a new contract.
Sky Sports reported in the last few days that West Ham were in talks on some level with four managers – Emery, Frank De Boer, Slaven Bilic and Marcelo Bielsa, but it seems their discussions with Emery will be reaching a more advanced stage as he flies into the Capital.
A concern for the West Ham board is if the new manager can speak English. Emery knows little of the language, but he is seen as the right step forward for the club before the move to the Olympic Stadium. Bielsa is also reportedly learning the language after expressing interest in a move to the Premier League.
Napoli have reportedly offered Emery a contract worth £2.5m a year. Sam Allardyce was under a £3m contract at West Ham, and Gold and Sullivan have already expressed their willingness to offer an even bigger salary, as well as allotting £25m for transfers.
West Ham have taken their time to choose a manager, but Emery is seen as a worthy choice. The 43- year-old has proven success at Sevilla, winning the Europa League twice and still finishing fifth in La Liga this season.
MORE: Why Marcelo Bielsa is the right man to replace Sam Allardyce as West Ham manager.
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