Raul Sanllehi explains why Mikel Arteta appointment is not a risk for Arsenal

Arsenal have appointed a head coach with no previous experience but they are convinced they have the right man for the job

Arsenal's head of football Raul Sanllehi insists he doesn't see the risk of appointing an untested head coach in Mikel Arteta.

The 37-year-old had never managed a club before being appointed as the permanent successor to Unai Emery but was the overwhelming choice of the Arsenal hierarchy, who handed him a three-and-a-half year contract at the Emirates Stadium.

Arteta, whose work officially begins on Sunday, is held in high esteem by the likes of Pep Guardiola and Arsene Wenger and was praised by several Manchester City players for his impact on their game whilst an assistant manager at the Etihad Stadium.

Arteta certainly seemed to have won round many of his doubters in a well received press conference before Arsenal's 0-0 draw with Everton on Saturday - a match at which the Spaniard watched on from the director's box. It was just another example of the persuasive communication skills that convinced Sanllehi and the rest of the club hierarchy to hire him in the first place.

"I don't see the risk anywhere after knowing what his plan is," Sanllehi said. "We spent many hours talking with him – [technical director] Edu and myself first – and then he got to meet [managing director] Vinai [Venkatesham] and [head of football operations] Huss [Fahmy], and finally with [director] Josh Kroenke.

"We all had a very common view, knowing him, listening to him. He made a perfect presentation about his analysis of Arsenal, and how he thought that he could re-address the situation and he convinced us completely.

"Of course there is always risk but in a general way, not because of how many years he has been a coach or not a coach. He responded very well in the previous press [conference] about his experience.

"I think he is a very experienced person, actually. He has an incredible experience of the Premier League, he knows it inside and out, he knows all the coaches, all the teams.

"He has been with arguably one of the best coaches in the world and he is not been having a passive role with him. On the contrary. He has been actively involved. I know that from him but I know that from many other sources. He had been a real part of that coaching team.

"It depends how you define experience. Definitely there is a risk, but it's not from the experience side. The risk is intrinsic in any decision. You never know the whole thing until you try it.

"But we feel very confident with what we've heard to make a very clear decision for him. It was very clear."