Unai Emery explains Aston Villa recruitment plan heading into summer window

Unai Emery has backed transfer chief Roberto Olabe to find the players to help Villa push on again next season.

Olabe, one of Emery’s oldest friends in football, replaced Monchi as the club’s president of football operations last summer.

Emery has huge control at Villa and the final say when it comes to signings.

But in an interview with Spanish newspaper, El Diario Vasco, he vowed to lean on Olabe’s expertise this summer.

Olabe established a reputation as one of the finest talent spotters in Europe while with Real Sociedad.

Emery said: “We all want the same thing at Aston Villa, but we need specialists.

“My specialty is not recruitment - I’ve always wanted to focus on the pitch, on the grass, on preparing what happens from the offices onto the field.

“Since I started working with Roberto 20 years ago at Almería, I’ve had great professional and personal respect for him. I need people who contribute in all areas so we can keep growing.

“I’m ultimately responsible, but we share that responsibility. But I insist - my place has always been on the pitch. Outside of that, whatever Roberto says, I follow him completely.”

Villa’s summer will again be a balancing act as the club looks to strengthen the squad while remaining compliant with Uefa’s financial fair play rules.

Emery wants a striker, two wide players and a right-back, while Villa also have a list of goalkeeper targets should Emi Martinez leave.

Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes and Paris Saint-Germain’s teenage star Ibrahim Mbaye are on the club’s shortlist for wingers, with Emery keen to add more pace to his side.