Unai Emery jumps into shock lead to become new manager of Champions League giants with Premier League rival also wanted
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UNAI EMERY has emerged as the front runner to become Bayern Munich's next manager, a report claims.
The Aston Villa boss returned to the Premier League in October 2022 and has transformed Villa from relegation battlers to Champions League hopefuls.
Emery, 52, has had a magnificent season at Villa Park with his side currently fourth in the table while also reaching the Conference League semi-finals.
His resurgence in success following his tenure at Villarreal, after parting ways with Arsenal in November 2019, has captured the attention of Europe’s top clubs, including Bayern Munich.
The Bundesliga giants are searching for their next manager to replace Thomas Tuchel.
German newspaper now claim that Emery is the hottest candidate to succeed Tuchel, with newly-appointed director of sport Max Eberal a big fan of the Spaniard.
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And Bayern and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus wants to see the ex-PSG boss get the job, telling : "I would get Unai Emery from Aston Villa.
"He's doing a great job there. He has a lot of experience - including internationally - and he has titles to his name with Sevilla, for example.
"He speaks perfect English. He can then learn German, but the players can all speak English anyway, so I don't see any language barrier.
"Emery would also be someone who would bring in a new wind, he would be a new face in the Bundesliga and That would fit well with Bayern Munich."
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The Bavarian giants, who last week lost the German title for the first time in 12 years as unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen won the Bundesliga.
Despite leading Bayern into this year's Champions League semi-finals, where they'll face Real Madrid, it's already been confirmed that the ex-Chelsea boss will leave the Allianz Arena at the end of the season.
Bayern have seen their ex-manager Julian Nagelsmann turn down the chance to return to Munich, signing a new two-year contract with the German national team, while Zinedine Zidane reportedly isn't interested either.
And Eberl said language could come into play when choosing the next boss.
He said: "I can say that our search for new manager is at the final stages. The coach should speak English, not necessarily German."
Emery isn't the only Premier League manager in the race as Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi has also come into Eberl's thinking.
Bayern have four Bundesliga games left, alongside their Champions League semi-final clashes with Real and a potential final at Wembley.