Owen Hargreaves believes Unai Emery is poised to take the mantle as the Premier League’s outstanding manager, arguing that the Aston Villa boss is ready to step into the space that will be left if Pep Guardiola departs Manchester City.

Emery has just delivered Aston Villa’s first major trophy in three decades, masterminding a commanding 3-0 win over Freiburg in the Europa League final. The victory secured his fifth Europa League title, underlining a remarkable record in European competition built with clubs that have rarely started as favourites.

The triumph comes on the heels of Arsenal’s long-awaited league success under Mikel Arteta, who guided the club to a first Premier League crown since the Invincibles era. Yet even as Arteta’s stock rises, Hargreaves insists Emery’s body of work places him in a different bracket.

You could argue that with Pep leaving, he is the best in the Premier League. He has got the most trophies, and the most experience, Hargreaves said on TNT Sport, highlighting Emery’s sustained success across Spain, France and England.

Mikel is at the start of his journey, and has done an incredible job this year. But Unai is in a category with the best of the best. The only thing left for him really is whether he can win the Premier League, can he win the Champions League

Under Emery, Villa have not only lifted silverware but also re-established themselves among Europe’s elite, securing a return to the Champions League for the second time in three seasons. Hargreaves praised the sense of momentum around the club, pointing to a clear identity, a united squad and a fan base that feels reconnected to a historic institution.

You just want to see these guys stay together and build something. They have set the foundations now. The fans are behind them and this giant of a football club is back where it deserves to be, he said.

Among those celebrating was the Prince of Wales, a devoted Villa supporter, who watched from the stands in Istanbul as Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendía struck before half-time and Morgan Rogers added a third after the break. He later hailed an amazing night and reserved a special mention for injured midfielder Boubacar Kamara, credited with helping lay the foundations for Villa’s resurgence under Emery.