Arsenal legend Bob Wilson has claimed that the club's squad is the strongest it has been since Arsene Wenger took charge in 1996.

Wenger celebrates 18 years in charge of the Gunners this week, and Wilson believes that the Frenchman could lead the side to plenty of success over the next few years if he keeps the current group of players together.

"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]," the former Gunners goalkeeper is quoted as saying by the Daily Star.

"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.

"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."

Wenger celebrated his anniversary at the club with a 4-1 win over Galatasaray on Wednesday night.