Report: Arsenal to Hire Unai Emery as Manager in Surprising Move

Manchester City assistant coach and former Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta was previously thought to have been the leading candidate.

Arsenal are set to announce the appointment of former Paris Saint-Germain manager Unai Emery as their next manager, after interviewing several candidates for their managerial vacancy.

Arsene Wenger stepped down as boss at the end of the season after being at the helm for over 20 years. And the Gunners are now set to unveil the former Sevilla and PSG coach as their new man.

BREAKING: Arsenal to appoint Unai Emery as new manager. Thorough process produced 46yo Spaniard as unanimous choice. Available after leaving #PSG (1 Lg1 title, 4 cups), previously Sevilla (3 EL wins), not fluent English. Announcement + press conference likely later this week #AFC

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) May 21, 2018

That is according to reliable BBC correspondent David Ornstein, who reported as much via Twitter.

"Arsenal to appoint Unai Emery as new manager," Ornstein tweeted on Monday. "Thorough process produced 46-year-old Spaniard as unanimous choice. Available after leaving #PSG (1 Lg1 title, 4 cups), previously Sevilla (3 EL wins), not fluent English. Announcement + press conference likely later this week."

Manchester City assistant coach Mikel Arteta was previously thought to have been the leading candidate. But according to the Telegraph's Matt Law, they've had second thoughts over handing the job to an inexperienced head and CEO Ivan Gazidis isn't keen on putting his own job on the line.

As the latest reports would have it, Emery will be the one to occupy the manager's seat at the Emirates come next season after winning the Ligue 1 title with PSG this season, only to be replaced by Thomas Tuchel as a direct result of his Champions League failure.