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Unai Emery must be ruthless at Arsenal with squad drifting for too long

AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

Rumours of a managerial change between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have been rife for years. It was just never supposed to be this way round.

Unai Emery is now in advanced talks with the Gunners to become Arsene Wenger’s successor after flying into London yesterday to usurp Mikel Arteta as the front runner.

The Spaniard is likely to be confirmed as Arsenal’s new manager in the next 48 hours on a four-year deal worth less than Wenger’s £8million-a-year salary in the latest twist to a search which has seen the club’s hierarchy interview several possible candidates.

Disagreements over the exact level of control Arteta would have, combined with concerns over his lack of experience, prompted an approach to Emery, who left PSG on Sunday after their final game of a title-winning Ligue 1 season.

His departure comes after just two seasons, a spell which began with Emery joining a long list of coaches engaging press conference pleasantries with Wenger ahead of a Champions League group stage match between the two sides in September 2016.

Emery’s reign was just four games old - two wins, one draw and a defeat to Monaco, who would go on to be crowned champions - and he was already a man under pressure. Typically, Wenger backed his counterpart while Emery lauded the Frenchman’s longevity. Significantly, Wenger also chose the occasion to confirm for the first time that he turned down the chance to manage PSG three times, in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

The link was persistent, rooted in his close relationship with the club’s chairman and chief executive officer, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and since his departure from Arsenal was confirmed in April, speculation has continued he could find a role in Paris. Yet, in fact, it is Emery who is a racing certainty to move between the two clubs and for all his admiration of Wenger’s work, the 46-year-old must be ruthless in stamping his own authority on the club after edging the internal battle for favouritism.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis was Arteta’s main advocate having worked with him during his playing days, admired his work at Manchester City and received positive feedback about his effectiveness under Pep Guardiola.

His - and therefore Arsenal’s - interest pre-dates the arrival of both Sven Mislintat and Raul Sanllehi, the head of recruitment and head of football relations, who were appointed in December and February respectively.

Mislintat was keen on Julian Nagelsmann, Sanellhi on Luis Enrique, with Emery also on his long list. Carlo Ancelotti, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry were among several others to be considered but once leading candidates Enrique (wage) and Massimiliano Allegri (transfer budget) indicated they had requirements beyond Arsenal’s means, Arteta came to the fore.

It has been suggested Arteta has turned out to be something of a smokescreen but City expected him to leave, contract details had been discussed and a three-year deal had been mooted, suggesting this was less an elaborate ploy and more an individual on the brink of being formally offered the job. Arsenal have been careful to point out no single candidate had that honour, insisting they have been sounded out for their thoughts and requirements but a decision had to be made before the World Cup.

It remains to be seen how the balance of power within the Gazidis, Mislintat, Sanllehi triumvirate has played out but the latter pair are the football experts and Emery seems a more logical fit for Sanllehi than anyone else.

That said, Emery arrives with a proven pedigree having won three Europa League titles with Sevilla, an obsessive work ethic, meticulous preparation based on extensive video analysis — so much so, former Valencia winger Joaquin declared: “Emery put on so many videos, I ran out of popcorn.”

The Arsenal story has been stuck on repeat for too long. Emery must inject fresh levels of discipline and diligence into a squad allowed to drift for too long. Decisions must be taken early over whether he can improve underperforming players like Granit Xhaka, Shkodran Mustafi and Alex Iwobi or sell them to bolster a modest transfer kitty of around £50m. Emery’s critics argued he did not extract the best from a lavishly assembled squad boasting high-profile and mercurial talent. Managing Mesut Ozil effectively is a chance to put that right.

He also fell short in the Champions League with PSG collapsing in dramatic fashion at Barcelona last year - losing 6-1 away after winning their last 16, first leg 4-0 at home - before a meek surrender to Real Madrid this term.

He struggled at a team expected to dominate and so in that regard perhaps Emery’s time at Valencia and later Sevilla is more relevant to what Arsenal must first do: walk before they run.

Valencia mixed it with La Liga’s big boys, finishing third in 2010 and 2011. His Sevilla side were a counter-attacking, pragmatic team that won three successive Europa Leagues. Replicating these achievements are not the club’s ultimate aspiration but given the malaise, it could be viewed as the next step forward.