How Unai Emery's Arsenal job title marks a major shift from the Arsene Wenger era

James Olley23 May 2018

The change was subtle but significant. Unai Emery was today confirmed as Arsenal’s new 'head coach' rather than 'manager', marking the final step in transitioning away from Arsene Wenger’s omnipotence to a more continental structure.

This shift has been the brainchild of Ivan Gazidis, mindful of the club being left behind by more progressive rivals and aware of the excessive reliance on Wenger’s wide-ranging football expertise.

It began while Wenger was still at the helm.

Gazidis doubled the number of staff at the club in the last three years to more than 150, increased the use of data analytics and appointed various department heads to gradually delineate and strip back the Frenchman’s autonomy.

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If the downside was creating friction between Gazidis and Wenger - never more obvious than when Wenger derided the appointment of a director of football by claiming the role was tantamount to marshalling road traffic - the upside is Emery walks into a setup that has had several months to bed in.

In Pictures | Unai Emery unveiled as Arsenal head coach | 23/05/2018

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There will inevitably be teething problems - and the intriguing question of who has final say over football decisions will rumble on - but the leading protagonists have worked within similar structures elsewhere, and in that regard Emery is a logical fit.

Emery had players imposed upon him at Paris Saint-Germain - something that is easier to accept when the arrivals boast the calibre of Neymar or Kylian Mbappe - and the 46-year-old must quickly agree on transfer targets in what is a shortened and truncated window as a result of the World Cup.

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Head of recruitment Sven Mislintat and head of football relations Raul Sanllehi have already identified areas to strengthen, most urgently at centre-back and in central midfield with the club already in talks with Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos over a possible deal worth between £15million-£20m.

The Gunners could trigger Jonny Evans' £3m release clause following West Brom’s relegation, but it remains to be seen whether Emery holds the same interest in the former Manchester United defender as Wenger did.

To that end, Jean Michael Seri was not considered a serious target but Emery’s fondness for the midfielder - having wanted to sign the Nice midfielder at PSG - could now make him a genuine proposition.

Seri is available for £35m, but Arsenal are likely to face competition from several other clubs and have the added difficulty of lacking Champions League football to attract players.

AFP/Getty Images

Similarly, Steven N’Zonzi was a key component of the Sevilla side which won the third of three consecutive Europa League titles under Emery.

With a relatively modest transfer budget of £50m, Arsenal must quickly decide on the futures of several heavily-criticised first-team players including Skhodran Mustafi, Alex Iwobi and Granit Xhaka, determining whether they are rough diamonds or dispensable to generate funds for new signings.

In Pictures | Arsenal Players: New Kit 2018/19

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The level of input Emery has in that process will be fascinating to observe in the coming months.

Arsenal announced his arrival this morning as a new chapter, the backdrop provided by images of previous managers.

Emery is their first head coach. A new chapter, indeed.

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