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Arsenal confirmed on Wednesday morning that Spaniard Unai Emery was their new manager
Unai Emery said he is 'thrilled to be joining one of the great clubs in the game' after he was announced as the new Arsenal manager, replacing Arsene Wenger on a three-year deal worth £15million.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss pipped Mikel Arteta to the role after the ex-Arsenal midfielder had misgivings over the managerial structure at the Emirates.
Emery has now been tasked with filling the gigantic void left by Wenger, who was in charge of the north London club for 22 years.
Emery has been handed the reins of Arsenal after replacing Frenchman Arsene Wenger
'I'm very excited to be given the responsibility to start this important new chapter,' he said
Emery is pictured with his predecessor ahead of a match between Arsenal and PSG in 2016
Emery, pictured in 2014, guided Spanish side Sevilla to three consecutive Europa League titles
The manager appeared to earlier confirm he will succeed Wenger on his official website
Arsenal broke the news just after 9am on Wednesday morning, pronouncing that they were entering: 'A new dawn. A new era.
A new chapter.' The Spaniard will be formally unveiled at a press conference at 2pm on Wednesday afternoon.
'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,' Emery said.
'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.'
Former Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta was expected to replace Wenger but talks broke down
Arsenal's majority owner Stan Kroenke said: 'We're delighted to welcome Unai to Arsenal. He's a proven winner.
We're confident that he is the right person for the job and that he will work to deliver the triumphs our fans, staff and everyone who cares about Arsenal want.
'Several things stood out during his interview and the entire process; his football knowledge, energy, determination and love of the game.
His familiarity with our club and our players, the Premier League and the game in Europe were all very impressive.
'He shares our vision to move forward, to build on the platform created by Arsène Wenger and help this club enjoy greater success.'
A club statement continued: '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.'
