3 Managers who could replace Unai Emery at Arsenal

Arsenal might be sitting in 5th position in the Premier League right now – just 6 points away from those coveted Champions League spots – and we might be just 11 games into the 2019/20 season, but only a blind man would try to claim that boss Unai Emery isn’t under pressure.

While Emery hasn’t done a bad job at the Emirates Stadium per say – taking the Gunners to the final of the Europa League last season – it’s honestly hard to claim that he’s really made progress after taking over from Arsene Wenger in the summer of 2018, and with just 4 league wins thus far this season, to see him lose his job wouldn’t be an outright shocker.

So who could take the reins at the Emirates if Emery is dispensed of? The following 3 managers could be considered among the top candidates.

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#1 Jose Mourinho

Could Jose Mourinho return to management at the Emirates?

The so-called ‘Special One’, Jose Mourinho has been out of work since being fired by Manchester United last December, but the disastrous latter days of his time at Old Trafford haven’t done that much to dent the Portuguese’s stellar reputation. Considering United’s current struggles, the fact that Mourinho was able to take the Red Devils to a second-place Premier League finish in 2017/18 now feels like a miracle.

What would Mourinho bring to Arsenal? Well, for one, he’s a proven winner; Mourinho has won multiple trophies at every club he’s been in charge of, including capturing league titles with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. Given the Gunners have won just two legitimate trophies – the FA Cup on two occasions – in the last five years, any kind of silverware that the Portuguese boss could bring would be hugely welcome.

Mourinho is also renowned for putting together teams that are defensively stellar – something that has proven to be a major problem for Arsenal in recent months, as gaffes from the likes of Shkodran Mustafi, David Luiz and Sokratis have all cost the Gunners valuable points in the Premier League.

The one worry when it comes to appointing Mourinho would be his reputation when it comes to handling young players; Arsenal currently have some tremendous young talent breaking into their first team, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Mourinho would not wish to use the likes of Bukayo Saka and Joe Willock despite their burgeoning skills.

Despite this, though, Arsenal’s board might consider Mourinho a risk worth taking. His time at United didn’t end well but the Red Devils have more deep-rooted problems than the Gunners and a boss like Mourinho who could introduce some steel to the Emirates might be just what the doctor ordered.

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#2 Max Allegri

Could Max Allegri bring Juventus-like success to Arsenal?

Former Juventus boss Max Allegri was linked with plenty of jobs in the summer; Manchester United and Real Madrid were just two of Europe’s superclubs apparently interested in the Italian, but as of the time of writing, he remains on the market. That’s a huge surprise given the kind of reputation he brings, so could Arsenal be the next destination for him?

A move for Allegri would definitely make sense. There are few managers currently operating in the game with the kind of record that he brings; Allegri took over Juventus in 2014 and was able to win four domestic doubles between 2015 and 2018, as well as taking the Old Lady to two Champions League finals. His win percentage of 70.4% is unmatched in the history of Juventus.

But Allegri isn’t simply defined by his wins at Juve, where admittedly he was able to wield more financial muscle than any other club in Serie A. He’s also a fantastic tactician capable of turning the momentum of a game in a heartbeat – as we saw when his Juve side turned around their Champions League tie with Arsenal’s great rivals Tottenham in 2018 following two substitutions from Allegri.

With the Bayern Munich job suddenly up for grabs, if Arsenal want to secure the services of Allegri they’d probably be best to make a move sooner rather than later.

#3 Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe has impressed with his work at Bournemouth

If Arsenal want to look a little closer to home for their next manager, they could do much worse than taking a glance at the south coast, where Eddie Howe has been doing a tremendous job at Bournemouth over the past few seasons. Howe is currently in his 7th year with the Cherries, and while he has yet to secure silverware at the club, it’s hard to deny the impact he’s had.

Howe took Bournemouth into the Premier League after winning the EFL Championship in 2014/15, and while his highest finish with the club remains the 9th place he achieved in 2016/17, given the lack of financial strength at Dean Court compared to their other Premier League rivals, he’s still been impressive.

The 41-year old has put together a strong squad on a relatively tight budget, and it’s the attractive style of football that his team play that should make him an attractive proposition for a side like Arsenal. He’s channelled the talents of attackers like Josh King, Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser, while also creating a strong defensive spine through his development of players like Nathan Ake and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale.

Right now Bournemouth sit just two places below Arsenal in the Premier League, in 7th position, but it’s notable that while Howe’s side have scored two goals less than the Gunners, they’ve also conceded less too, leaving them just one point behind Unai Emery’s side.

Essentially, the question is this: if Howe can do as well as he has done with a tight budget and lesser-known players, what could he do with world-class talent? Perhaps it’s time to find out.