Unai Emery: Arsenal Head Coach Wants Five Captains In His Team

Arsenal boss Unai Emery says he wants "five captains" in his team as he tries to find the "best personalities" in his dressing room.

The Spaniard, who took over from Arsene Wenger in May, said Laurent Koscielny would remain his "first captain".

"My idea is to know every player and to know, also, the personality of the players," said Emery, 43.

"We want to keep the respect for these players, to find the captain and choose very well the best player for that."

France centre-back Koscielny, 32, is expected to be out until December with a ruptured Achilles tendon, which led to him missing this summer's World Cup.

Full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner, one of Emery's five summer signings, captained Switzerland in Russia this summer.

"My first idea is to have five captains in the team," Emery added. "But at the moment, I don't know the names.

"We are looking at who are the players whose personality is the best in the dressing room."

Wilshere departure not down to injuries
Emery also said the departure of midfielder Jack Wilshere, who left the Emirates last month after 17 years and has joined West Ham, was not because of his injury record.

The England international, 26, made only 25 Premier League appearances across his final three seasons at Arsenal.

"It was a tactical, technical decision. The conversation with Wilshere was a very good conversation," said Emery.

"I explained to him my opinion and how I wanted to create the team and I said to him I was unsure if he is going to play in the 11 players.

"I know this player is important for the supporters and grew up here in Arsenal, but I don't give him a place in the starting 11 and it is for that reason he chose to leave here and I respect this."

'We signed the players we needed'
Arsenal have also signed Germany goalkeeper Bernd Leno and Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, as well as Uruguay international Lucas Torreira and fellow midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, a France Under-20 international.

Former PSG and Sevilla boss Emery said that could conclude their summer business.

"Maybe we can bring in one if there's a very good possibility for them to help us, but the club has done a great job of signing new players and I am happy.

"We signed the players who we needed. We will only sign a player in the next month if he's a big opportunity."