‘Arsenal spoke to 10 candidates before Emery decision’

Joe Williams

Guillem Balague has revealed that Arsenal interviewed “ten different candidates” before finally choosing to appoint Unai Emery as their next manager.

Reports claim that the Gunners have opted for ex-Sevilla boss Emery although there has been no official confirmation that he is the new man.

Sky Sports reports that Emery is the only one of the ten candidates that have been offered the job and that he could be appointed by the end of the week.

“Arsenal have been speaking to ten different managers, ten different candidates, and it got to a point where they had to make a decision,” ‘football expert’ Balague told Sky Sports.

“Some of the candidates did not have much similar to each other. They were looking for a series of things which eventually led them to make Emery the number one candidate.

“Arteta was one of those ten and came closest but at the end maybe the lack of experience worked against him. I’m sure from minute one he would have said he lacks experience himself. He had other things which Arsenal were impressed about.

“Emery has the experience, has won trophies and done it with director’s of football wherever he has been. Valencia, Sevilla and PSG as well.

“I’m not sure about this thing about embodying the shadow of Arsene Wenger – that is dangerous. He is his own man. He will work within the structure, he will make the team flexible. He will sharpen everybody up and will make sure the players come out onto the pitch knowing their obligations and responsibilities.

“There has been a lot of [emphasis] in training and you will see that in the way Arsenal shape up in the future.”