Arsenal prefers another to Arteta

Arsenal  have been left with a choice to make after a ‘shock last-minute candidate’ emerged for their vacant manager’s position.

Arsene Wenger will leave the club this summer after 22 years, with Arsenal keen on replacing him as early as possible.

Former player and current Manchester City assistant manager Mikel Arteta is the odds-on favourite to be appointed, and it was thought that the Gunners could announce him at some point this week.

But the Daily Mail report that those plans may have been shelved after a ‘shock last-minute candidate’ emerged.

Steve Stammers and Sami Mokbel claim that ‘the availability’ of Unai Emery has ‘alerted the powers’ at Arsenal. Emery revealed that he would be leaving PSG on April 28 – news travels really slowly to north London, clearly – and Thomas Tuchel has already replaced him in the French capital.

Emery’s record of keeping Sevilla ‘competitive’ in La Liga and winning three straight Europa League trophies with the Spanish club has been considered. He ‘has the most impressive managerial record’ of any current candidate by far.

Arsenal’s ‘restricted budget’ means that Emery, who maintained Sevilla’s form despite having little to spend, has a chance.

He could even ‘work alongside’ Arteta at the club.