Matt Maher: No time to worry - yet Real Madrid links do tap into Aston Villa's greatest fear

Reports claimed Unai Emery is Real Madrid’s No.1 target, should they choose to appoint a new manager this summer.

Cue several hours of frantic social media discussion, as fans tried to convince one another why there was nothing to worry about.

And honestly, at this stage, there really is nothing to worry about. Regardless of whether Real have their eye on Emery or not, there is an awful lot of distance to be travelled from January interest to a summer appointment. 

For one thing, it is not yet clear whether the job will even be up for grabs. Real appointed Alvaro Arbeloa to succeed the axed Xabi Alonso until the end of the season. If he does a good job - wins the Champions League for instance - he’ll probably get the gig on a full-time basis.