A global audience in the hundreds of millions will tune in on Sunday for the start of a new era at Arsenal and the biggest single spike in viewers can be safely expected on the Basque border of Spain and France.

Hondarribia is Unai Emery’s stunningly picturesque hometown and you do not need long speaking with residents to discover that most of the 16,000 population became overnight Arsenal fans on the day that a first new coach for almost a quarter of a century was confirmed.

Jose-Maria Olazabal is a second sporting celebrity to call this most northern seaside Spanish town home but, with Emery’s mum Amelia, brothers Koldo, Andoni and Igor still in residence, as well as numerous other relations and childhood friends, pretty much everybody is personally acquainted with a family drooling in football heritage.

“It is a little town – just one football club,” says Alex Arieta, a close friend of 40 years.

“Everybody knows everybody. He is back when work allows. Usually Christmas, although obviously not this year but I think we will see him in September during the international break.” The timing could not be better.