Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris' Aston Villa commits to Unai Emery beyond 2029

Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris's Aston Villa Football Club is moving to keep manager Unai Emery beyond 2029, after the two sides met to plan the club's future amid interest from Manchester United.

Sawiris, Villa's chairman, met Emery on Nov. 4 along with Roberto Olabe, the club's president of football operations, and Damián Vidagany, its director of football operations. The club said the meeting produced "positive discussions establishing a clear commitment beyond 2029 for the joint development of the club under the sporting leadership of Unai Emery." The aim, it said, is "to build an ambitious, competitive Aston Villa capable of taking on the biggest challenges and achievements."

The statement did not give the length or value of a new contract. Emery is in advanced talks on a new deal, and Olabe and Vidagany are also discussing extensions. The Spaniard signed a five-year contract in May 2024 that runs to 2029.

The meeting came as Manchester United weighed replacing its manager, Michael Carrick, and Emery had been strongly linked with the job. Villa travel to Old Trafford to play United on Sunday.

Emery took over at Villa in late 2022, when the club was three points above the Premier League relegation zone. He led the team to fourth place and a place in the Champions League in his first full season, and in May won the Europa League with a 3-0 win over Freiburg in Istanbul, the club's first major European trophy since 1982. Villa are playing in the Champions League again this season, though they lost 3-0 to Barcelona on Tuesday.

Sawiris and American billionaire Wes Edens bought a majority stake in Villa in July 2018 for about £30 million ($40 million) through their company, V Sports. Each now owns 34.4% of V Sports, with private equity firm Atairos owning a stake bought in 2024. The club's enterprise value has crossed £1 billion ($1.33 billion), according to V Sports' latest accounts.

Sawiris, 65, is the youngest son of Onsi Sawiris, founder of Egypt's Orascom group. He built fertilizer producer OCI into one of the world's largest nitrogen producers and owns 43.39% of Orascom Construction Plc. He also holds close to 6% of German sportswear maker Adidas AG, where he has been named the incoming chairman, and 6.3% of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., owner of the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.

He is Egypt's richest person, with a net worth of $9.6 billion, according to Forbes.

Figures were converted at £1 to $1.33.