TOONAIEMERY

Villarreal boss to demand a bumper £7m deal to quit Spain but Newcastle chiefs are hoping to have him in the dugout at Brighton to spark much-needed miracle

UNAI EMERY will demand a £7million contract to become Newcastle’s highest-paid boss after becoming their top target.

The ex-Arsenal coach is the front-runner to succeed Steve Bruce, and the Saudibacked consortium hope to have him in the dug-out for Saturday’s trip to Brighton.

There is still work to be done and a three-year contract has yet to be agreed, with further talks set for the next couple of days.

Emery’s Spanish club Villarreal are powerless to keep him if Newcastle trigger a £6m release clause and buy out his contract.

Club president Fernando Roig tried to squash speculation when he said: “Emery is very happy here.

“I am sure that his mind is not drifting elsewhere. Unai has a contract with us.

“It is not a Villarreal decision, and when it is not a Villarreal decision, contracts are there to be fulfilled.

“We hope that we will be able to see that contract through until the end.” But the Toon have plumped for Emery after a thorough interview process and believe they can land the four-time Europa League winner quickly.

St James’ Park officials are confident he is the candidate who can have an impact both in the short-term and moving forward. Newcastle are in desperate need of a revival, without a win in the opening 10 league games this season.

Emery, 49, will face a huge job. The Geordies are six points adrift of safety and have leaked 23 goals already.

On Monday the former Paris Saint-Germain and Sevilla chief was keeping the move quiet insisting: “I don’t know anything about Newcastle.”

But he has unfinished business in the Premier League after a disappointing sevengame run without a win at Arsenal lead to his sacking two years ago.

But he won the Europa League three years in a row at Sevilla, was a beaten finalist with Arsenal and lifted the French title and four cups with PSG.

Coach Graeme Jones is expected to stay on at the club in some capacity but a host a backroom staff are concerned for their jobs after indications there will be an overhaul.

Newcastle have become one of the world’s richest clubs since the Saudi Public Investment Fund bought them for £305m from Mike Ashley.

Cash will be there for Emery to spend in January, but the club insist they will move in steps towards their goal of competing at the top of the league.