'He's just using Arsenal!' - Ex-Chelsea star John Obi Mikel warns Gunners fans over Vinicius Junior rumours

Arsenal head into the new season as the side with the biggest target on their backs, according to former Chelsea midfielder Obi Mikel. The Nigerian international, who enjoyed a trophy-laden decade at Stamford Bridge, believes that the stability established at the Emirates Stadium gives them a significant edge over the rest of the traditional "Big Six."

After ending a 22-year wait for a league title last season, finishing seven points clear of Manchester City, the Gunners are now tasked with defending their crown against a motivated chasing pack.

Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, the two-time Premier League winner was emphatic about the current hierarchy in the top flight. "Wow, the team to beat? There are so many teams," Mikel said.

"The good thing that you can say about this season is it is absolutely wide open, absolutely f***ing wide open, apart from Arsenal. Apart from Arsenal… you can say that this is the team right now. They’re settled, they have a manager who has been there for so many years, he’s built a team and a squad that has gone on to win the Premier League. It doesn’t matter how they won it, they finally crossed the line."

Despite their domestic dominance last term, Arteta faced some scrutiny for the club's European exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final. Mikel is curious to see if the Spaniard will pivot towards a more expansive style of play now that the pressure of winning the league has subsided.

Mikel continued his analysis by focusing on the tactical evolution he expects to see from the champions. "I want to see now how they play, how they approach this season, how they defend their title because okay, it doesn’t matter how you played last season, you played ugly or however you wanted to win and you’ve done that. It wasn’t pretty to watch but they’ve done it."

He added: "Now I want to see how Mikel Arteta and this Arsenal squad play this season because they have to defend that title. If you look at all the top five, top six teams, they are the most settled squad."

The summer transfer window has been dominated by sensational links between Arsenal and Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior. With the Brazilian reportedly entering the final year of his contract and Arteta said to be enamoured with the forward, speculation has reached fever pitch.

Mikel was characteristically blunt when addressing the transfer gossip surrounding the Real Madrid icon. "He’s not coming! Forget about that," he insisted. "He’s just using Arsenal to get a better deal at Real Madrid. He’s not leaving Real Madrid. I’m sure about that, 100 per cent. He’s not leaving! He just wants to use Arsenal to get a better deal."

"He’s not leaving Real Madrid. Why would he? Listen, Arsenal is a big team. If I sit here and say Arsenal is not a big team then I’m lying. Arsenal is a big team but Real Madrid is a different ballgame. I think this conversation about contracts has been going on for a long time."

Instead of chasing the unlikely signing of Vinicius, Mikel suggested that Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes would be a much more transformational and realistic acquisition for the Gunners. He believes the Brazilian midfielder would provide the perfect balance alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, allowing Arsenal to dominate possession more effectively than they did during their title-winning campaign.

"He’s going to be a good signing for Arsenal," he said regarding the Magpies star. "I think him and Declan Rice in that midfield and Martin Odegaard is going to be good. Mikel Arteta knows he has to play some attractive football this season. You can’t play the same way you played last season."

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