The wait is over: Unai Emery is Arsenal's new manager.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss has put pen to paper on a deal at the Emirates. It is expected to be £6million-a-year, four-year contract.
The Spaniard, 46, succeeds Arsene Wenger who stood down at the end of the season, following 22 years at the Gunners helm.
Emery, a three-time Europa League winner with Sevilla, is known for working 14-hour days and pushing his players on and off the training ground.
New Arsenal boss Unai Emery said: “I am thrilled to be joining one of the great clubs in the game. 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."
As Arsenal usher in a new era under Emery, we will deliver all the latest news, pictures, video, opinion and analysis from the north London club, right here.
Emery on the interview process
“I had three fantastic meetings. I met with Ivan, Raul and Sven. They analysed myself as a person and a coach an they thought I could be ab option. I have to say after a three hour meeting there was a fasts chemistry between us.
“That chemistry came because it was Arsenal and they have a wonderful history.
“The second meeting was with the chairman, the owners. They are the heart of the club and transmitted what the fans wanted.
“My third meeting was with the owner in Atlanta. Again here we had a fantastic feeling in terms of the way we spoke to each other about the project.
“Coming to Arsenal is something that makes me very proud.”
Emery reveals his playing philosophy
“My idea is to be protagonists all the match. We play against all the teams with this personality, with I think the history here is one.
“They love playing with possession of the ball. They like this personality. I like to be protagonists with the ball.
“And when you don’t have possession with the ball I want a squad, very very intensive, for the pressing.”
Ivan Gazidis on the transfer budget
“We don’t discuss our budgets publicly, but we are a public company.
“If you want to look at our accounts you can. We run a self sustaining model and we will continue to.
“All the money that is available will be to Unai.”
Emery has a big thank you for Arsene Wenger
Emery admits Arsene Wenger has left big shoes to fill.
He said: “It is a big challenge for me but I worked also with other big projects and for me I am proud to be here and work after Arsene Wenger.
“Thank you Wenger for your legacy.”
Emery refuses to be drawn on Wilshere contract
The new Arsenal boss insists he knows all about the squad he is inheriting.
“I know all the players. I think all the players are very important,” he said.
“All the players I want to speak to individually. I want to speak to them face to face.”
But Emery has refused to be drawn on the future of Jack Wilshere.
The Arsenal midfielder is out of contract next month.
But Emery said: “I don’t want to speak about individual players today.”
Emery: I am excited about this opportunity
Emery is speaking to the media without an interpreter.
He said: “My English is not the best now. I want to make an effort to speak with you, to the supporters, to explain my ideas, my ambition and to explain I am very excited for this opportunity at a big club, with a grand stadium.”
Emery takes centre stage
The news Arsenal boss faces the cameras:
“I’m honoured to be here. Thank you to the Kroenke family. We travelled to Atlanta for a meeting with the family, for me it was avery good meeting. Good conversation with him and his son.
“The connections were all together for the project. Also, thank you to the board. We had a meeting on Monday. They feel with their heart Arsenal.”
Unai Emery ready for first ever Press conference as Arsenal boss
Get ready to meet Unai Emery.
The Spaniard is all set to face the press for the very first time after being named Arsenal boss.
'Now's the times to unite behind Emery' says fans' group
Arsenal fans’ groups have called for unity now Unai Emery is in place.
Despite all of the success which he brought to the club, Arsene Wenger had cut a decisive figure among the Gunners’ fanbase over the closing years of his tenure.
Arsenal Independent Supporters’ Association chair Lois Langton has called for everyone to now unite behind the new head coach, who emerged as the “obvious choice and fit for the club”.
“The appointment of Unai Emery marks the beginning of a new dawn for Arsenal and the title of head coach is an acknowledgement that we cannot allow ourselves ever again to be in a situation where so much power and control is vested in one individual,” Langton said.
“The story that started to break on Monday evening that Emery was the front runner seemed to come from nowhere. But, having now had the opportunity to digest the news, he seems an obvious choice and fit for the club - and his appointment is one that should be welcomed positively.
“He has great pedigree, with eight trophies, including three European titles, already to his name, and many supporters are excited at the prospect of the thorough and disciplined approach he seems to bring to teams.”
Langton added: “Above all else, what we now need is for the club as a whole to be united in its support for Emery so that we can get back to focusing on Arsenal Football Club and ensuring its future success. Hopefully, Emery will play a key role in achieving that.”
Ian Wright reveals the size of the job for Emery
Unai Emery’s biggest job will be changing the mindset of Arsenal’s squad, according to former Gunners striker Ian Wright.
Wright, part of Wenger’s team which won the double in 1997-98, hopes Emery will prove the man capable of turning Arsenal’s fortunes around.
“Trying to replace Arsene Wenger after 22 years with what he has done is a massive job in itself. It is not something which is going to be done overnight,” Wright said on Sky Sports News.
“I just hope everything has been done in the right way for us to get this manager, not something that all of a sudden we have stumbled upon him and hopefully it works out. “We need to get our players competing, fit and with a different mindset to what they have had in recent years.
“If he comes in, can coach our players and find a couple of gems...then slowly but surely hopefully we will start getting back to where we want to be.
“I am quite excited about it because change had to come. It has come now, I just think we should all just get on board and really back him. “I am just pleased we have got someone credible who can take us to the next step.”
Arsenal boosted in bid to nail key position
Arsenal’s pursuit for a new keeper has been boosted as summer target Bernd Leno has apparently fallen further down the pecking order at Bayer Leverkusen.
The German club have secured the signing of Lukas Hradecky from Eintracht Frankfurt, suggesting Leno could be on his way in this summer’s transfer window.
Arsenal’s head of recruitment Sven Mislintat spotted the talented shot-stopper as a potential replacement for Petr Cech prior to Unai Emery’s appointment.
The North Londoners have just £50million to spend this summer, and Leno will likely be available at a good price considering Leverkusen’s abundance of keepers.
The Gunners are also in the market for a centre-back.
Why football runs in the family for Unai Emery
We’ve had a look at the facts about his managerial career. But here’s a few facts about the man himself
Football runs in the family
Emery followed his family blood line into the game - both his father and grandfather, named Juan and Antonio respectively, were goalkeepers. The former appeared for several clubs in the Spanish second tier, whilst the latter competed with Real Union in the top division and his uncle Roman played as a midfielder.
Injury calls for managerial role
Emery’s first managerial post was at former Spanish third-tier side Lorca Deportiva, with whom he made more than 30 appearances as a midfielder before succumbing to a knee injury aged 32 in the 2004-05 season and being offered the coaching job. He led them to promotion and from there he moved on to a four-year spell in charge of Valencia, taking Los Che to European qualification in each season before a short stint holding the reins at Spartak Moscow in 2012.
Personal achievements
During his spell in charge of Sevilla, Emery received a nomination for the FIFA Best Coach Award in 2015 - after a fifth-placed finish in LaLiga - but eventually lost out to then Barcelona boss Luis Enrique. He collected gongs for European Coach of the Season in 2013-14 and multiple LaLiga Manager of the Month awards at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, while more recently he was awarded the the Trophees UNFP du football, top manager prize at Paris St Germain.
Sevilla successes
Benfica, Dnipro and Liverpool were the teams beaten by Sevilla in Europa League finals between 2014 and 2016. The Portuguese giants were defeated 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw in 2014, before Ukraine’s Dnipro were downed 3-2 the following year. The hat-trick was completed with a 3-1 come-from-behind win over Liverpool in Basel two years ago.
Sporting connection
Emery is not the only sporting son from the Basque town of Hondarribia - golfer Jose Maria Olazabal, Masters winner in 1994 and 1999, also hails from there.
What are Unai Emery's tactics and style? The formations new boss could use
We’ve had a quick look at this before, but here’s an examination of Unai Emery’s tactics in a little more detail...
Over the past 22 years, Arsenal fans have become accustomed to watching free-flowing, attacking football from their team under Arsene Wenger.
But that was then and today, there’s a new dawn.
New boss Unai Emery is the man tasked with spearheading a revolution at the Emirates.
So how do the Spaniard’s tactics compare to his predecessor’s?
In the past six seasons, Emery has favoured two different formations, according to Opta.
At Sevilla, he relied on a 4-2-3-1 formation, which brought him success.
However, he changed his approach slightly at Paris Saint-Germain, preferring a 4-3-3 formation in 68 of his 76 league games in charge of the Ligue 1 side - 89% of matches.
How will Unai Emery’s tactics differ to Arsene Wenger’s?(Image: Icon Sport)READ MORE
Tifo Football , in a Tactics Explained video, took a closer look at his strategies at PSG.
They say his 4-3-3 formation can also resemble a 4-1-2-2-1, depending on the state of play.
Emery favoured a 4-3-3 formation at Paris Saint-Germain.
Emery used Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani as the team’s focal point up top.
It was his job to hold up the ball, bring others into play and carry an aerial threat.
Two of three from Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria played as inverted wingers.
According to Tifo, Emery’s PSG forward line had echoes of Liverpool’s front three of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah in both movement and positioning.
Emery’s midfield three was fairly simple, with one central player - usually Thiago Motta - sitting deep whenever the full-backs push forward.
One of the the other two midfielders - positions filled by the likes of Marco Veratti, Adrien Rabiot and Javier Pastore - was given licence to join the attack, while the other remained deeper.
In general, midfielders were encouraged to play through-balls.
With the wide forwards given the freedom to play centrally at times, the team often rotated possession in those areas.
Unai Emery fact attack - part three
Thanks to our friends at Opta, here’s the final part of what you need to know about the new Arsenal boss...
Arsenal season ticket holder reacts to Unai Emery's appointment
Mirror Online sports picture editor Charlie Kenward has been a season ticket holder for 26 years.
Here’s what he thinks of the new appointment...
After what feels like endless weeks of speculation as to who would take over at Arsenal, it was great to finally hear that Unai Emery had been appointed as our new manager.
I have been a season ticket holder for 26 years, 22 of which have been spent watching Arsene Wenger.
People doubted Wenger from the start. But we all know what happened next. He went from an unknown entity to an Arsenal legend.
Sure, the last 22 years haven’t been all butterflies and candy canes - but they have certainly been memorable to say the least.
Now is the time to look forward, not back. Emery’s arrival marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Arsenal football club and hopefully the beginning of success.
I have always maintained that I would support whoever takes over regardless of experience.
And a large majority of Arsenal fans who wanted change will no doubt be thankful that their wish has come true in the shape of Emery.
I think it is a fantastic appointment. The former PSG boss is a serial winner of trophies with a proven track record of getting the best out of his players - and that is exactly what Arsenal need.
There are too many players in the Arsenal first team who have not been pulling their weight. A huge shake up is needed if we are to climb the mountain of our recent demise.
So my message for my fellow fans is simple: let’s put aside the negative opinions, banners and flybys and focus on supporting the new guy.
Arsenal is a massive club and should be challenging for massive trophies.
Come on you Gunners!
Emery's record against Prem League's big four bosses
Arsenal have turned to Unai Emery to help make them title challengers once more - but his record against the Premier League’s top managers offers little encouragement.
The Spaniard is familiar with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho as well as Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino from his time in his homeland managing Valencia.
With Guardiola and Mourinho managing Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively in that time, it is no surprise Emery’s charges failed to muster a win against either.
He did enjoy four wins, one draw and a loss in six league meetings with Pochettino, raising hopes he can wrest the initiative back in the north London rivalry, though Spurs provide tougher opposition than Pochettino’s former club Espanyol.
Emery’s only meeting with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was a memorable one, as his Sevilla side defeated the Reds in the 2016 Europa League final.
He has never gone up against Antonio Conte, whose future as Chelsea manager remains the subject of speculation.
Unai Emery v Pep Guardiola 2008-09: Barcelona 4 Valencia 0, Valencia 2 Barcelona 2 2009-10: Valencia 0 Barcelona 0, Barcelona 3 Valencia 0 2010-11: Barcelona 2 Valencia 1, Valencia 0 Barcelona 1 2011-12: LaLiga: Valencia 2 Barcelona 2, Barcelona 5 Valencia 1. Copa del Rey: Valencia 1 Barcelona 1, Barcelona 2 Valencia 0. Overall record: Played 10, Won 0, Drawn 4, Lost 6, Goals For 7, Goals Against 22, Goal Difference -15
Unai Emery v Jose Mourinho 2010-11: Real Madrid 2 Valencia 0, Valencia 3 Real Madrid 6 2011-12: Valencia 2 Real Madrid 3, Real Madrid 0 Valencia 0 Overall: P4 W0 D1 L3 F5 A11, GD-6
Unai Emery v Mauricio Pochettino 2009-10: Valencia 1 Espanyol 0, Espanyol 0 Valencia 2 2010-11: Valencia 2 Espanyol 1, Espanyol 2 Valencia 2 2011-12: Valencia 2 Espanyol 1, Espanyol 4 Valencia 0 Overall: P6 W4 D1 L1 F9 A8, GD+1
Unai Emery v Jurgen Klopp 2015-16: Europa League final: Liverpool 1 Sevilla 3 Overall: P1 W1 D0 L0 F3 A1, GD+2
Unai Emery fact-attack - part two
Thanks to our friends at Opta, here are some things you need to know about the new Arsenal boss (spread over a few parts)...
Celebrity fan Ian Poulter says 'strengthen in right areas'
Arsenal fan Ian Poulter gave his reaction to Unai Emery’s appointment before playing this week’s BMW PGA at Wentworth.
The Ryder Cup legend said: “I don’t know an awful lot about him. I think whoever was going to take that role has got big shoes to fill. I mean, 22 years and a job well done I think from Arsène.
“You know, the trophy cabinet’s been dry for a while, or it’s not as full as obviously the fans would like it. Hopefully his changes will be good ones and hopefully he can strengthen the team in the right areas, and hopefully he brings the results.”
Arsenal bosses explain why they went for Emery over Arteta
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis and majority owner Stan Kroenke have explained why the Gunners were so keen to hire Unai Emery.
Mikel Arteta was initially the overwhelming favourite to take over from Arsene Wenger after 22 years in charge, but the board had a change of heart in the eleventh hour.
Arsenal got cold feet over the idea of hiring an untried boss, and instead handed the job to Emery, who has been successful in both Spain and France with Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.
Revealing why Arsenal were so keen on hiring the Spaniard, Gazidis said: “Unai has an outstanding track record of success throughout his career, has developed some of the best young talent in Europe and plays an exciting, progressive style of football that fits Arsenal perfectly.
“His hard-working and passionate approach and his sense of values on and off the pitch make him the ideal person to take us forward.
“We conducted a confidential, wide-ranging and rigorous search involving extensive background references, data and video analysis, and personal meetings with all the candidates we shortlisted.
“All were interested in the position and we were unanimous in our choice of Unai to drive the next chapter of our history.”
Kroenke added: “We’re delighted to welcome Unai to Arsenal. He’s a proven winner.
“We’re confident that he is the right person for the job and that he will work to deliver the triumphs our fans, staff and everyone who cares about Arsenal want.
'Say hello to our little friend'
This one is quite self explanatory..
Unai Emery facts - part one
Thanks to our friends at Opta, here are some things you need to know about the new Arsenal boss (spread over a few parts)...
Who is Emery's right hand man Juan Carlos Carcedo - and what will he bring to Arsenal?
Arsenal’s appointment of Unai Emery signals the start of a new era at the club, with an overhaul of the backroom staff.
Juan Carlos Carcedo has worked as Emery’s assistant since 2006, and will almost certainly be announced as Arsenal’s number two following the appointment of the Spainard.
A passionate man with a fiery temperament, he is no stranger to prowling the touchline and making his opinions known to players and officials.
Carcedo first partnered up with Emery at Almeria, despite being offered the role as manager he chose to work instead as the assistant.
From there, the pair have stuck together in the football world, with the 44-year-old following Emery to Valencia, Spartak Moscow, Sevilla and most recently, Paris St-Germain.
It was in Paris that he had issues with members of the playing squad, notably Hatem Ben Arfa after the midfielder took exception to the instructions barked out by Carcedo.
He will bring a strong defensive base and a work rate that he expects his players to match. Carcedo strives for a solid defence from which to work from.
He is also extremely hands on with the squad he works with, often seen shouting and gesturing to his players mid-match.
Although this impressed some, it left members of the squad at PSG complaining he showed them “no warmth” and was too harsh on the team. Carcedo is not one to shy away from telling a player of referee how he feels.
It has landed him in trouble in the past, he was sent into the stands in January after crossing the line against Nantes and was sent off for Sevilla during his playing career.
Mirror chief sports writer John Cross has his say
Arsenal make first summer signing as Emery takes reigns
Arsenal made their first signing of the summer just as Unai Emery was announced as new Gunners’ boss.
Estonian wonderkid Karl Jakob Hein has teamed up with the Emirates’ sides - who will continue to put their faith in youth under their new Spanish boss.
The 16-year-old joins from Nomme United on a free transfer and will join up with Arsenal’s under-18 team.
He has already played for his country in the Euro U17 championships but has yet to be on the winning side for Estonia.
One transfer Unai Emery WILL be involved in at Arsenal this summer
New Arsenal boss Unai Emery will work under a similar framework to the one at Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain where deals will be done for him.
The Gunners are therefore very likely to target the same players they have already been linked with, and have a budget of just £50million in order to make the deals happen.
Arsenal’s main priority is to sign a centre-back. The Gunners have been lacking in this position for a while now, and will be without the injured Laurent Koscielny until at least Christmas.
Borussia Dortmund’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos is currently top of the transfer list, while Jonny Evans is available to sign from West Brom for £3million.
5 players Emery could target this summer
Unai Emery is the Arsenal manager, and transfer rumours are rife as to who the new Gunners’ boss will recruit for his debut campaign at the Emirates.
Emery has had an impressive career to date, taking the reins of some of Europe’s biggest clubs including Valencia, Sevilla and Paris Saint Germain.
As a result he has worked with a number of top players, and will no doubt be looking at the possibility of taking some of them to north London with him.
Here we consider five players who have previously worked with the Spaniard, and just may well be on his radar in the transfer window.
1. Steven Nzonzi - Sevilla
Sevilla’s powerhouse enforcer Steven Nzonzi has long been linked with a move back to the Premier League after departing Stoke City for the La Liga outfit, and the arrival of Emery to Arsenal could be the catalyst for a re-union with his previous boss.
There have been persistent question marks over the quality of Arsenal’s central midfield options, with Granit Xaka’s inconsistency being a major concern since his arrival from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Nzonzi has just two years left on his contract with the Spanish side, and Emery’s appointment at Arsenal may just provide the perfect opportunity for him to make the switch.
2. Julian Draxler - Paris Saint Germain
PSG’s German sensation Julian Draxler has seemingly been forever destined for a Premier League move, with strong links to Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal prior to his move to the French capital.
The winger certainly fits the profile of player that Emery has had success working with in the past, and he is far more likely to get regular playing time at Arsenal than he is at PSG - where there is an abundance of talent in his position.
Cost is potentially a stumbling block, with £60m the touted figure for his services.
But if the Arsenal hierarchy are able to create funds through players sales, then Draxler could well be heading to north London with Emery.
3. Jeremy Mathieu, Valencia
Emery worked with Jeremy Mathieu, presently at Sporting Lisbon, in his third managerial job. And the former Barcelona defender may be of interest to Emery, who will no doubt be looking to add a true leader to the Arsenal dressing room.
Emery and Mathieu worked together for over three years at Valencia, achieving successive Champions League qualifications and striking up a remarkably strong working relationship.
Arsenal are in desperate need of an enforcer at the back, and Mathieu’s quality coupled with his links to Emery could mean the French centre-back is destined for a transfer to north London.
4. Adrien Rabiot - Paris Saint Germain
A PSG youth product and France international, Adrien Rabiot has long been touted for a move to pastures new, and particularly the Premier League, after a series of impressive displays with the Ligue 1 club.
Rabiot and Emery worked together at PSG, with the midfielder’s box-to-box playing style meaning he was a regular starter throughout Emery’s two seasons in charge in Paris.
Arsenal’s lack of quality midfield options will be an area of concern for Emery, though he could look to solve this with a move for Rabiot.
The Frenchman has just one year left on his current contract, and PSG will be keen to either tie him down to a new deal or cash in on him to prevent him leaving on a free next summer.
5. Kevin Trapp, Paris Saint Germain
Despite Arsenal having recently given Petr Cech the number one jersey for the 2018/19 season, it has long been public knowledge that the Gunners are in search of a long-term, world-class goalkeeper to replace the Czech international.
One player who could challenge Cech between the sticks at Arsenal is PSG’s second choice keeper, Kevin Trapp.
Currently behind Alphonse Areola in the pecking order at Parc des Princes, Trapp has amassed over 200 appearances, and at the age of 27 is likely to be entering his prime.
How do the bookies thing he'll do?
Arsenal’s new manager Unai Emery is 8/11 to see out the next two seasons and start his third in charge at the Emirates.
Bookmakers Betway are confident at 1/10 that Emery won’t be dumped before the new year and are giving 1/3 that the Basque will be in the Arsenal hot-seat on the opening day of the 2019/20 season.
Silverware could be hard to come by with Betway as big as 9/2 for Emery to bring the Gunners a first league title since 2004, 4/9 for the former PSG man to finish next season without a trophy and 11/4 for him to guide Arsenal to a top four finish in 2018/19.
Spokesman Alan Alger said: “Offering 8/11 for a manager to make it into a third season with a top tier football club these days may seem risky, but we don’t think Arsenal are after instant success with Unai Emery and, like with Arsene Wenger, expect the club to give him plenty of time.”
What formation can Arsenal fans expect?
So what formation will Unai Emery favour?
It seems he’ll adapt from club-to-club, but favours a flat back four.
In his last six league seasons as a manager, Emery has favoured two different formations – 4-2-3-1 at Sevilla, before using 4-3-3 in 68 of his 76 league games in charge of PSG (89% of matches).
The stats that prove that Unai Emery is a 'proven winner'
Arsenal majority shareholder Stan Kroenke says they have employed a ‘proven winner’
And these stats seem to back that up.
In the previous five seasons, Emery won eight major trophies with Sevilla (3) and PSG (5) - winning the @EuropaLeague with Sevilla in 3 successive seasons (13-14, 14-15 & 15-16).
Emery has won 10 major honours as manager.
One top-flight league title with PSG and three UEFA Europa League titles in addition to two Coupe de France, two Coupe de Ligue and two Trophée des Champions titles.
Last season Emery’s 73.7% win ratio and points per game ratio of 2.37 is the best ever seen in Ligue 1 by a Paris Saint-German boss.
Emery's involvement in transfers revealed
New Arsenal boss Unai Emery has agreed to work under the club’s transfer structure - and deals will be done for him.
Spaniard Emery, 46, has been used to a similar framework at Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain even though he had a reputation at Valencia as a shrewd wheeler and dealer.
It means Arsenal are likely to stick with their current transfer targets but Emery knows the club has a limited summer budget of £50million after big spends in the recent past and missing out on the Champions League two years running.
Arsenal want at least one central defender with Borussia Dortmund’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos top of the list and Jonny Evans available for £3m, while Shkodran Mustafi could be sold and Laurent Koscielny is out until at least Christmas.
They want Bayer Leverkusen keeper Bernd Leno and they will also look to bolster the midfield and it is that position where Emery is likely to at least have a say and some input.
But fundamentally Arsenal’s head of recruitment Sven Mislintat will do the talent spotting with contract guru Huss Fahmy helping to get the deals done in the new-look structure laid down by chief executive Ivan Gazidis and head of football operations Raul Sanllehi.