Next Aston Villa Manager Odds

Aston Villa are one of England’s most decorated clubs. They’ve won 7 league titles over the years, 7 FA Cups and the 1982 European Cup, which not many English sides can compare to.

The modern Villa story is an interesting one, as they were relegated in 2016 and spent three seasons in the Championship. They’ve now gotten back to the elite side of the game. Unai Emery led them to the Europa League title in 2026, which was the club’s first European trophy since 1982, and they’re back in the Champions League this season after a fourth-place Premier League finish.

Emery is still involved in contract talks and there have been links to other clubs, so the next Aston Villa manager odds market is driven by the question as to whether a bigger club could prise him away.

Current Aston Villa Manager

Unai Emery is the current Aston Villa manager. He was appointed in October 2022 to replace Steven Gerrard, with the club only a few points above the relegation zone at the time. He wasn’t able to take charge until November 2022 as his work permit needed to come through.

The Spaniard had a great reputation from his time at Sevilla, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Villarreal, and he has delivered. Villa have qualified twice for the Champions League under him and they won the Europa League last season, which was Emery’s fifth success in that competition.

Emery’s contract lasts until 2029 and the club wants to extend it further. Emery confirmed in November 2026 that talks were underway about doing so with chairman Nassef Sawiris.

He has been linked to the Manchester United job and Jamie Carragher caused a stir by suggesting he should consider the move. However, Emery reportedly has no desire to leave. The start of the 2026/2027 season has been up and down.

Aston Villa's Recent Form

Aston Villa Form & fixtures

W L D L D

5 pts from last 5 · latest on right

Recent results

Sun 8 NovEnglish Premier League

A at Manchester United (A) 4–4 D

Tue 3 NovUEFA Champions League

A at Barcelona (A) 0–3 L

Sat 31 OctEnglish Premier League

H vs Fulham (H) 1–1 D

Wed 28 OctEFL Cup

A at Bournemouth (A) 0–3 L

Sat 24 OctEnglish Premier League

H vs Manchester City (H) 2–1 W

Upcoming fixtures

Sat 21 NovEnglish Premier League

H vs Sunderland (H) 15:00

Tue 24 NovUEFA Champions League

A at Galatasaray (A) 17:45

Sat 28 NovEnglish Premier League

A at Ipswich Town (A) 17:30

Wed 2 DecEnglish Premier League

H vs Everton (H) 20:15

Sat 5 DecEnglish Premier League

H vs Crystal Palace (H) 15:00

All Competitions / Times Are UK

Who Will Be the Next Aston Villa Manager?

Emery isn’t expected to go anywhere anytime soon, but Villa are now a Champions League club which would attract a strong array of managers. The board would want someone with European pedigree, ambition and an ability to work within tight financial rules. Here are some names most likely to lead the next Aston Villa manager betting:

Kieran McKenna

McKenna is the standout available coach. He won three promotions with Ipswich, including two to the Premier League, before stepping down in June 2026 to take a break.

He was priced among Villa’s candidates in an earlier market and fits their preference for a modern, development-focused coach. Any club hiring him before next summer reportedly owes Ipswich more than £8 million.

Oliver Glasner

Glasner was at the top of the next Aston Villa manager market in 2025 when Emery’s position looked briefly shaky. His trophy-laden seasons at Crystal Palace brought the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League.

He has since taken over at Nottingham Forest, so any move would mean prising him away from a Premier League rival. He remains the profile of manager Villa would likely target.

Andoni Iraola

Iraola was second favourite for the job in 2025 after impressing at Bournemouth with his intense pressing style. He has since moved to Liverpool, one of the biggest jobs in the country. That makes him a long shot for now.

Gareth Southgate

Southgate has often appeared near the top of next Villa manager markets. He played 191 times for the club and hasn’t managed since leaving England in 2024. However, he said in October 2026 that he doesn’t see himself returning to Premier League management.

Next Aston Villa Manager Odds

Not many bookmakers are pricing a next permanent Aston Villa manager market right now, with Emery close to a new contract. One would open quickly if he left or Villa’s form collapsed.

List of Aston Villa Managers

Villa went through a turbulent spell in the 2010s with 7 different managers between 2010 and 2018. Emery has brought stability, being the longest-serving Villa manager since Ron Saunders, who left in 1982. Here’s a full list of Aston Villa managers:

Andrew O'Malley

Andrew has over a decade of experience testing online casinos and sportsbooks. He has a particular penchant for football and blackjack. At WhichBookie, he keeps his finger on the pulse for all of the latest promotions on leading UKGC-licensed sites. He also makes sure to test new betting sites, test out new promotions, and deliver valuable content to the 100,000+ monthly WhichBookie readers.