Unai Emery appointed Arsenal head coach

Arsenal have appointed Unai Emery as their new first-team head coach.

The 46-year-old Spaniard joins the Premier League club after leaving Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2017-18 season.

Emery also lifted four domestic cups with the French giants, as well as winning three consecutive UEFA Europa League titles at Sevilla before his move to Paris.

The former Almeria, Valencia and Spartak Moscow boss succeeds legendary manager Arsene Wenger at the Emirates Stadium after 22 years at the helm.

Unai Emery.

Emery told the club’s official website, “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. I have met Stan and Josh Kroenke and it’s clear they have great ambitions for the club and are committed to bringing future success.

“I’m excited about what we can do together and I look forward to giving everyone who loves Arsenal some special moments and memories.”

Interestingly, the last manager to win the English top-flight league title after previously winning the Ligue 1 title was former Gunner Wenger. The 68-year-old won the French league with AS Monaco in 1987-88, before picking up his first English top-flight title with Arsenal in 1997-98.

Arsenal’s chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, added, “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.

Arsene Wenger has left Arsenal after almost 22 years in charge.

“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.”

Written by Dan Church Follow @DJChurch94