Exclusive – This is the strongest Arsenal squad Wenger has EVER had, claims Gunners legend

Bob Wilson believes the current Arsenal squad is the best Arsene Wenger has ever assembled.

Wenger celebrates 18 years in charge of the north London club today and, while Wilson feels he does not have a superstar in the mould of a Thierry Henry, the former Gunners great cannot remember a time in the Frenchman’s long reign when he could boast such strength in depth.

Speaking on the Hawksbee and Jacobs show, the ex-goalkeeper said: “I look through the Arsenal squad now and I would say they are very close to having the best overall squad [of Wenger’s reign].

“I’m talking about throughout the 25, 26 players I have seen. OK, you haven’t got a Patrick Vieira, a Thierry Henry, a Dennis Bergkamp, but these things happen a little bit in cycles.”

Wilson, however, accepts they are still some way behind Premier League rivals Chelsea and Manchester City.

“I think this is a team in creation still,” he said, as Arsenal prepare to meet Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

“There’s a wonderful basis of some really talented British players. That is going to come to fruition in the next two or three years, as long as we can keep them together.

“Obviously if you look at where we are at the moment against the likes Bayern Munich, and Chelsea and Mancester City, they are a level ahead at the moment and that’s where we need to get to.”