Arsenal’s new head coach Unai Emery described the club as “one of the greats of the game” as chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted the 46-year-old was their “unanimous first choice”.
Emery’s appointment ends an exhaustive search which included interviews with a range of candidates including Luis Enrique, Massmiliano Allegri and Mikel Arteta.
It had appeared as though Arteta was set to take the reins after advanced talks which extended as far as the composition of his backroom staff but Gazidis was adamant only one candidate was offered the position.
And Emery, who left Paris Saint-Germain after two years in charge, 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. 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.