Aston Villa boss Unai Emery wasn’t prepared to entertain any questions linking him with the Real Madrid job.
The Spaniard is the current favourite to become the next permanent manager at the Bernabeu as they plot a shake-up in the dugout.
Alvaro Arbeloa is currently at the helm after he replaced Xabi Alonso, who was ruthlessly axed earlier this month.
Arbeloa’s spell in the dugout could be short after they were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by minnows Albacete earlier this month.
The pressure on his shoulders then increased during the week when a 4-2 defeat against Benfica saw them fall into the Champions League play-offs.
Unai Emery to Real Madrid?
How long Arbeloa remains at Real Madrid remains to be seen, however he is already fighting to save his job, with supporters highly sceptical about his appointment.
While he had a long and successful career as a player at the Bernabeu, which spanned 13 years, it was only six years ago that he was managing the club’s Under-14 side.
Numerous big managerial names will be monitoring the situation, including the likes of Jurgen Klopp, Jose Mourinho and Enzo Maresca.
Another one of those is Emery, who is now 9/2 favourite to become the next permanent manager at the Bernabeu. One month ago, he was around 7/1.
After Villa’s Europa League victory against Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday, Emery was asked about the chances of managing Real Madrid.
Unsurprisingly, his answer was abrupt, and he responded: “I have nothing to say about it.”
It would be no surprise that Emery’s name is being linked with one of the biggest jobs in world football, given his remarkable success with Villa.
However, the restrictions will PSR will prove a major obstacle if they want to build a squad that consistently challenges for the Champions League.
Harvey Elliott Future
Emery was also quizzed on Harvey Elliott’s future after he made a rare appearance in the Europa League on Thursday.
His selection raised a few eyebrows, particularly after he was told he had no long-term future at the club following his disastrous loan move from Liverpool.
When quizzed on Thursday evening, whether Elliott’s performance could have any bearing on his Villa future, Emery replied: “It is not changing.
“Not changing, I told you yesterday, it is not changing his situation. Today, he played and was very fantastic at helping us, but it’s not changing our idea about him.”
