Unai Emery is not planning a wholesale rotation of players between the Premier League and Europa League, a competition which he suggested could soon become Arsenal’s No1 priority this season.

Returning to the Champions League is the club’s main aim and, with Emery having won the Europa League three times at Sevilla and already looking up at Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham in the Premier League, qualification through Europe’s second club competition may very well be the most feasible route.

“After the Champions League, the Europa League is the most important competition,” said Emery. “If teams cannot play in the Champions League, it is very important. When we opened this possibility that, when you win the Europa League, you play in the Champions League, it was the key to improve the interest in this competition.”

It was unclear whether Emery was saying that the Europa League was also even more important than the Premier League but, like last season, there is already a strong chance that it will represent the best chance of major success.

That became evident in the second half of last season under Arsène Wenger - Arsenal were ultimately beaten narrowly in the semi-final by Atlético Madrid - but he had earlier used the competition to rotate his squad. It meant that the core of Arsenal’s Premier League and Europa League teams were initially very distinct. Emery wants to maintain continuity between matches and says that his decisions are still being heavily shaped by each game.

“I have proven with my experience to know the best way to manage the players [in the Europa League],” he said. “My idea first isn’t to change 11 players for one competition and the next competition. Each match is giving us information for how we can play.”

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AC Milan also publicly confirmed their attempt to persuade Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis to join them.

Talks over his potential departure have been rumbling along for almost two months now. Gazidis is tempted by the role but a final decision has not yet been made. “Negotiations with Gazidis are ongoing,” said AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni on Friday. “The process of selecting a CEO must be done well and calmly.

“Whenever there’s any slowdown, I can reassure everyone by saying that in the meantime I’m here. I put everything into this role. The CEO must have a profile that is in line with our objectives.”