Mikel Merino Declares Arsenal's Midfield the Best After £75m Bruno Guimaraes Signing

Mikel Merino has boldly stated that Arsenal now possess the finest midfield in world football following the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazilian midfielder joined the Gunners from Newcastle United for £75 million this summer, adding even more quality to a squad that recently clinched the Premier League title.

An Unstoppable Midfield Force

Merino described the depth and talent in the midfield as "unreal," emphasizing how every player can step in and perform well. He said, "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."

On Guimaraes, Merino added, "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."

Guimaraes Quickly Settles Into Arsenal

The new recruit wasted no time making his debut during a pre-season game against Italian side Como. Mikel Arteta noted the Brazilian’s eagerness to play despite having only trained three times with the squad. Arteta told reporters, "He was really pushing to play some minutes today. He wanted to get his debut and the feeling of playing in front of our fans immediately. You sense it immediately. I believe there’s a strong connection at play and that is going to make us better."

Unwavering Ambition Despite Recent Success

Despite winning the Premier League last season, Merino says the squad is not content to rest on their laurels. He highlighted the team's hunger to keep winning trophies alongside its strength and depth. He shared, "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."

• Match: Community Shield
• Date: 16 Aug 2026
• Teams: Arsenal vs Manchester City
• Kickoff: 16:00