Pires hails new manager Emery as Arsenal’s ‘best signing’

Arsenal made their best signing of the transfer window when they appointed Spaniard Unai Emery as their new manager, the Premier League club’s former winger Robert Pires has said.

The north London outfit chose Emery, a former Sevilla and Paris St Germain boss, to succeed long-serving manager Arsene Wenger in May and the 46-year-old has already signed five new players as he overhauls the squad.

Uruguay international Lucas Torreira and teenager Matteo Guendouzi became Arsenal’s latest arrivals last week, while long-serving midfielder Jack Wilshere left the club earlier this month to join league rivals West Ham United.

“The best signing for me is Unai Emery, the manager. Of course I believe in the players, and especially the new players,” Pires, who played under Wenger for six years between 2000-06, told Sky Sports News.

“He won in Spain. He won in France. He has a lot of experience and I hope for him and Arsenal that he is successful with the club.”

Emery took charge of his first match in Saturday’s 8-0 win over fifth-tier side Boreham Wood but will face sterner tests against Spain’s Atletico Madrid and former club Paris St German in a pre-season tournament in Singapore next week.

The Spaniard has been tasked with improving on Arsenal’s sixth-placed league finish and their run to the Europa League semi-finals last season. The Gunners also suffered a shock third round exit in the FA Cup.