Mikel Merino has declared that Arsenal 'probably' possess the 'best midfield in football' following the club's £75 million acquisition of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United. The Premier League champions secured the Brazil international on a four-year contract after a prolonged negotiation with the Magpies, and the Spaniard believes the squad's depth and hunger will drive further success.
Guimaraes bolsters star-studded midfield
Guimaraes joins an Arsenal midfield that already features captain Martin Odegaard, England internationals Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi—previously a target for Real Madrid—academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly, and World Cup winner Merino himself. The 28-year-old made his first appearance for the Gunners in Wednesday's pre-season draw against Cesc Fabregas' Como, showcasing the composure and technical ability that prompted the club-record investment.
Speaking after the match, Merino praised the new signing: 'Amazing signing. He has proved throughout these years how good he is at Newcastle. And he showed it today again. A lot of composure, technical ability, a lot of defensive effort as well. So it's a very good signing. A top player, but we have many of those in this team. So everyone that comes to help the team is welcome.'
Merino: 'Unreal' quality and relentless hunger
When asked about the overall strength of Arsenal's midfield, Merino did not hold back: 'Honestly, it's unreal. Probably the best midfield in football. The amount of quality that we have there, with every player that can come on the pitch and make a good shift. It's great. That's good for the team. That's good for the squad. It raises everyone's level because if you have a bad day, the one that is close to you is going to do a great job.'
The 30-year-old, who returned to Arsenal after helping Spain win the World Cup, stressed that the squad's ambition remains undiminished despite last season's title triumph. 'I think we have an amazing squad. The hunger is still there. Not because we won it last season, we're going to be happy with it. We want more and more and more and we want every trophy possible. That's the best quality of this team. Not only the amount of depth that we have, the quality that we have in every position, but that hunger.'
Shearer echoes praise for Arsenal's midfield
Premier League legend Alan Shearer also believes Arsenal now boast one of the best midfields in world football. 'Arsenal are signing a top-quality player in Bruno Guimaraes,' the former Newcastle striker told Betfair. 'There's no doubt about that. They're signing a player who's so comfortable on the ball under pressure, who can make that killer pass. He's got a great attitude, too, we've seen that at Newcastle. So, there's no doubt he'll improve them. I think with the likes of Rice, Odegaard and Bruno, there won't be many better midfields out there.'
Arsenal begin their Premier League title defence with a home match against newly-promoted Coventry City a week on Friday. The club will also aim to mount another Champions League challenge after losing to PSG in the final in May, with Guimaraes expected to play a pivotal role in both campaigns.
