Arsenal have denied any meetings have taken place between head of football Raul Sanllehi and Jose Mourinho as the pressure intensifies on head coach Unai Emery. Out-of-work Mourinho has revealed he is looking to manage in the Premier League again and was spotted in a private box for Arsenal’s 3-2 Europa League win over Vitoria last week.
And newspaper reports on Sunday morning claimed that Sanllehi had met Mourinho for dinner, fuelling further speculation that the Gunners could sack Emery and employ the 56-year-old.
The Times reported Arsenal’s hierarchy, concerned by fractures that have formed between the Spaniard and senior members of his playing staff, has begun to prepare the ground for a change of management.
However, sources at Arsenal told the PA news agency that such a meeting did not take place and the pair have not had a conversation for years.
Jose Mourinho spotted in an executive box with Arsenal’s head of football Raul sanllehi 😳 pic.twitter.com/JrnvBHyM8B
— Arsenal FC Ross (@arsenal_ross) October 25, 2019
The denials are unlikely to quieten a section of Arsenal’s support, who have turned on Emery following a run of two wins from their last nine Premier League games.
The Spaniard’s rough week continued on Saturday as his side allowed a lead to slip for the third time in a week when Raul Jimenez’s header earned Wolves a point at the Emirates Stadium.
Fans questioned the wisdom of Emery’s decision to substitute defensive midfielder Lucas Torreira with winger Bukayo Saka just three minutes before Jimenez scored.
Other reports on Saturday had also claimed Emery’s authority is in question among the Arsenal players.
It was claimed that the ex-Paris Saint-Germain boss could soon lose the Gunners dressing room with players still said to be perplexed by their manager and openly mocking his thick Spanish accent.
Emery opted to leave captain Granit Xhaka out of squad on Saturday after he swore at supporters who jeered him when he was substituted during the draw with Crystal Palace last week.
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