The pain of defeat was still etched upon Unai Emery’s face when he was asked, in the hours after Arsenal’s humbling in the Europa League final, whether their failure to qualify for the Champions League will hurt the club’s attempts to attract top players to the Emirates.

Emery paused for a moment, grimacing slightly. “Maybe,” he said. “But I think we are a big team. I think Arsenal is a big name in the world of football. A lot of players want to play here.”

At the time, Emery looked and sounded like a man who was desperately trying to remain positive on the most demoralising night of his time in England. He knew that a third consecutive season in the Europa League awaits for Arsenal, and that the financial constraints on the club are only going to feel tighter this summer.

A few weeks down the line, though, and it seems that Emery has been proven right. Wilfried Zaha has provided a resounding endorsement of Arsenal’s ongoing stature and reputation, despite their decline, by publicly declaring — via his brother — his desire to swap Selhurst Park for the Emirates.

That’s the good news for Arsenal, at least. It is unquestionably a source of encouragement for the club, and for Emery, that a player of Zaha’s obvious pedigree is so keen to join them that he is willing to risk his relationship with Crystal Palace, where he has such a strong connection with the supporters.