Arsenal have named former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery as their new head coach.
Emery completed his two-year stint with PSG as a domestic treble winner this season, although he was unable to deliver the Champions League success the club’s Qatari owners craved.
The 46-year-old enjoyed a superb spell in charge of Sevilla, winning the Europa League in three consecutive seasons from 2013-14 to 2015-16 – a competition Arsenal will enter once more next term after a sixth-place Premier League finish.
It marked an underwhelming end to Arsene Wenger’s celebrated 22-year reign and one of Emery’s primary tasks will be bringing Champions League football back to Emirates Stadium.
“I am thrilled to be joining one of the great clubs in the game,” he said in a statement. “Arsenal is known and loved throughout the world for its style of play, its commitment to young players, the fantastic stadium, the way the club is run.
“I’m very excited to be given the responsibility to start this important new chapter in Arsenal’s history.”
Emery’s confirmation thus puts paid to other considerations and speculations including that of former Arsenal forward and now sports analyst Thierry Henry. Although Emery is replacing Wenger who had the Emirates as a permanent abode for 22 years, the Spaniard does not appear to be one to stay for too long at a place like his predecessor. He has coached six different teams in his 14 years coaching career.
The other teams he had handled aside from PSG include Lorca Deportiva
Almeria, Valencia, Spartak Moscow and Sevilla. Interestingly he played for six different clubs in his playing days as a midfielder accumulating a total of 339 appearances with 18 goals to his credit.
It does however appear that Emery has always dreamt of being part of Arsenal as a past photo in archives indicate that it was love at first sight.