Newly-appointed Arsenal boss Unai Emery has claimed Neymar was the 'leader' at Paris Saint Germain and not him.

The Spanish boss believes Neymar only left Barcelona for Paris last summer to assume such a role because Lionel Messi was in charge at the Nou Camp.

'I know when I’m the main person responsible, and when I’m not,' Emery told France Football News.

Former Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery has said Neymar was the 'leader' and not him

The Brazilian star was given the freedom to choose when he wanted to play league games

'It’s a process that a coach has to live with and internalise, and that he assimilates with time and experience. In every club, you have to know what your role is and what role you have vis-a-vis the rest of the group.

'I am of the opinion that PSG’s leader is Neymar. Or that he is currently becoming it. Neymar came to PSG to be the leader, to go through this process to someday become the best in the world. At Manchester City, Pep is in charge. At PSG, Neymar has to be.'

Emery, who has previously managed Sevilla, Spartak Moscow and Valencia, had never been faced with handling a real superstar until Neymar walked through the door at the Parc des Princes.

The Spaniard will be the first to admit he was out of his comfort zone. Emery has a history of overbearing man-management and the player-coach relationship between the pair was never going to run smoothly.

Neymar was made the kingmaker at PSG after making his world-record move last summer

Emery and Neymar (right) clashed over the penalty duties argument with Edinson Cavani (L)

They got into a training ground altercation last year after Neymar had taken penalty duties off of Edinson Cavani - something Emery privately felt went against all he embodied.

But Neymar was made the kingmaker and even picked his games in the domestic calendar so he could rest before Champions League football and Brazil internationals.

He was above Emery in the pecking order and beyond his reproach. It went against Emery's morality, but the 46-year-old admitted it forced him to alter - something that did not go unnoticed.

Emery claimed Neymar left Barcelona to be the leader as Lionel Messi was at the Nou Camp

'A few months ago, a PSG player said to me, "Mister, this year you have changed."' Emery added. 'It was obvious. I couldn’t be the same coach with and without Neymar. We went through a period of adaptation with the player.

'It was not instinctive, because we had to really get to know one another. Coaching Messi, Ronaldo or Neymar is not easy.

'They are the best in the world so that is a lot to take in. You have to adapt yourself to them. Look at Guardiola at City. He is lucky because he doesn’t have a major figure like that to be faced with.

He said Pep Guardiola is lucky as he doesn't have a major figure like Neymar to be deal with

'There are big players who become one when it really matters. And when it comes to taking radical decisions, Pep took them. For example, by getting rid of Deco, Ronaldinho, or Ibrahimovic when the latter had issues with Messi. By doing this, he avoided serious problems.'

Despite Emery's efforts, his PSG tenure - as it was always going to after he had challenged Neymar - came to a sudden conclusion at the end of the season, even though he had delivered the domestic treble.

Now with the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil to contend with at Arsenal, Emery may look back at his experience at PSG as a blessing in disguise.