This archive report was first published on 24 October 2019.
Unai Emery, the Arsenal manager, has spoken about his desire to sign Fabinho from Monaco before the midfielder joined Liverpool last summer.
Emery was Paris Saint-Germain boss when Fabinho helped Monaco win the league title in 2017. He admits that he wanted to sign the midfielder when he was appointed Arsenal manager last year.
Emery has been under pressure to deliver results, but the team's performance has been inconsistent. The Gunners boss splashed out a fee in excess of Sh9.3 billion to recruit Nicolas Pepe this summer, but he has yet to make the desired impact.
Emery has insisted that Pepe will need time to adapt to the Premier League, citing Fabinho as an example. Fabinho was signed by Liverpool from Monaco last summer and took time to adjust to the new league.
“We spent money with Pepe, but Pepe needs time to adapt to the Premier League,” Emery said.
Emery also spoke about his desire to promote young talent in the team. He believes that the team has time to develop and that young players will be given confidence and minutes in the Premier League.
Emery's comments come after the team's 1-0 loss to Sheffield United on Monday Night Football. He has been struggling to find the right balance in the team and has been under pressure to deliver results.
