Fabrizio Romano has revealed the real reason why Unai Emery has chosen to sign a new contract at Aston Villa instead of jumping ship to Manchester United.

55-year-old Emery emerged as Man Utd’s dream target in the event they dispense with the services of Michael Carrick in the upcoming international break.

However, despite the obvious appeal of managing arguably the world’s biggest club, Emery has chosen to not only remain loyal to Aston Villa, but sign a contract extension too.

News of that development broke on Wednesday night, and on Thursday morning, Fabrizio Romano shed light on why Emery picked Villa over United.

In a lengthy update on his YouTube channel, Romano stated: “Aston Villa wanted to show their trust in Unai Emery, their love for Emery, and Aston Villa, that’s a very important point, Aston Villa wanted to stop all the possibilities for Manchester United.

“And so Aston Villa on Wednesday after the Barcelona game met, and when I say Aston Villa it’s the chairman involved, the directors Damian Vidagany, Roberto Olabe, with Unai to progress on a new contract, to offer a new contract, an important deal, longer than the current one with a better salary than the current one, giving him the same power, so involved in transfer decisions, exits, incoming targets, ideas, sharing everything.

“The model of Aston Villa works very well because Unai is involved, the chairman is involved. Roberto Olabe and Damian Vidagany do an excellent job. So they are all together.

“But why this timing? Why now and not maybe two weeks ago, three weeks ago or in three, two, three weeks?

“For one reason – because Man Utd were really keeping a close eye to the situation of Unai.

“I was coming here on the channel several times and telling you Emery is considered as one of the ideal coaches, probably the ideal coach by some very important people and influential people in Man United.

“That was not just to say that, but because actually Man United really considered and still consider Emery as probably the ideal man to lead the project in the future.

“But I always told you Emery is not available because Aston Villa trust Unai. Aston Villa want to keep Unai. Aston Villa have no intention to lose Emery, especially mid-season, but also at the end of the season.

“Villa want to continue with Emery and so if Villa do it now it’s because the Man United interest was way more concrete than it can seem in the media.

“Man United really considered Unai Emery as an option, but Aston Villa’s wall around Unai was very, very high since the
first minute.

Unai Emery “in love” with greater power he has at Aston Villa – Fabrizio Romano

“And now Villa offer him a new contract to stop all the possibilities, to stop all the ways to other clubs and to continue with Emery as a crucial part of the project because Villa know that Emery is very happy in the club.

“Villa know that Emery is in love with Aston Villa and with the involvement he has at Aston Villa which is something very difficult to find at other clubs.

“There can be other top clubs around the world in England and not only, but to find this kind of structure where he’s involved on absolutely everything.

“[Where] the coach, the manager I better say, is involved in absolutely everything… it’s not easy at all [to find]. So new contract now very advanced. Aston Villa want to close everything as soon as possible.”

As mentioned, Emery wields extensive powers at Villa Park, which is not something he would enjoy if moving to Old Trafford.

Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox are the decision-makers on a footballing level at Man Utd. Long gone are the days of Sir Alex Ferguson where the Scot boasted near total control.

As such, Carrick and any subsequent managers United appoint will forever be hamstrung by the incompetence of Wilcox, who is under intense scrutiny for his haphazard approach to squad building.

United find themselves short at left-back and striker, while the club’s long-anticipated midfield rebuild can only be termed a failure thus far.