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The Spaniard has discussed his proposed appointment at Emirates Stadium with the boss of Watford, a valuable friend since his debut as a player.
Unai Emery revealed that the first person he had called before occupying this position at Arsenal was Javi Gracia, who had advised him to accept a role in the Premier League.
Aged 47, he succeeded legendary boss Arsene Wenger at Emirates Stadium last summer after separating from Paris Saint Germain earlier in 2018.
Since then, he has managed to get the Gunners to rank among the top four with six games to play in the current campaign, while a triumph of the Europa League is also on the agenda in May .
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Emery seems to let Arsenal head in the right direction once again and most supporters are convinced that he is the man that it takes to restore the club to its former glory.
The Spanish coach revealed that his Spanish coach had played a key role in convincing him to accept such a coveted position.
"When the opportunity to sign here was opened, the first coach, the first person in the football world I called, was him," said Emery at a press conference in Gracia.
"I asked about football here, about clubs, about Arsenal, and he recommended me to come here."
The two men have been friends since they played at Real Sociedad and still maintain close relations. Watford is a short walk from Arsenal's head office, London Colney.
Emery continued, "For example, we had dinner, their coaches and our coaches, one day in St Albans in September.
"We talked about football here, about English football and their experience, because they were here six months before us.
"It was a good conversation about football because Javi Gracia is also a football man, they are my friends, not only Javi Gracia, but also his badistants Zigor Arbadde and Inigo Arteaga."
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The Gunners desperately need a win over the Hornets to return to fourth place after a 1-0 loss to Everton on April 7th.
A 2-0 home win against Napoli in the Europa League on Thursday helped restore confidence before a crucial showdown, but the Arsenal 's away form has often been their downfall this season.
After Watford, Emery will prepare his team for the return match against Italy in Italy before hosting the Crystal Palace in Emirates.
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