Unai Emery wants to have five Arsenal captains

Leadership has been an issue for Arsenal in recent seasons.

And new head coach Unai Emery is prioritising the identification of players with the ability to lead the Gunners on the pitch ahead of his first season in the Premier League. Supporters were thrilled to see new signing Stephan Lichtsteiner roaring instructions at his Swiss teammates during the World Cup, which is precisely why Emery made the 34-year-old the first arrival of the post-Arsene Wenger era at the Emirates. Laurent Koscielny is expected to remain the club's captain but with the French defender injured until December, Emery wants to figure out who else has what it takes to lead the team in Koscielny's absence. "My idea is to know every player and to know, also, the personality of the players," said Emery. "We want to keep the respect for these players, to find the captain and choose very well the best player for that." Emery, who replaced Wenger at the beginning of summer, has already brought five new faces into the club. But between the summer signings and the existing squad at his disposal, the 46-year-old wants to have several players who he can consider a captain. "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."