Paul Merson says Arsenal had ‘unbelievable’ player better than Ian Wright and Thierry Henry

Add as preferred source on Google

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is widely considered to be the greatest player in Premier League history.

The Frenchman won two Premier League titles during his time at Arsenal, whilst he also scored 175 goals in the competition.

His speed, technique, creativity and deadly finishing made him a nightmare to play against, and he is one of the biggest legends in the history of the club.

Arsenal have been blessed with countless world-class attacking players over the years, with many also regarding Ian Wright as the best natural finisher the club has ever had, but former Gunner Paul Merson has now claimed that there was a player even better than both.

Paul Merson claims Dennis Bergkamp was better than Thierry Henry

Speaking on Football’s Greatest with Jeff Stelling, Merson was asked to name his top five foreign imports in Premier League history, and he named Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp above everyone.

He claimed the Dutchman was the best player he ever played alongside, above Wright, and explained that his reason for choosing Bergkamp over Henry was that he was better technically without the sheer speed the Frenchman had.

“I’ve gone with him as the number one because I’m not sure Henry would’ve been that great with Bergkamp’s pace,” he stated.

“Henry was electric, cool at finishing, but his pace got him away from players to get in that position.

“That was the only reason I picked Dennis Bergkamp, if you gave them the same pace who would be the best, and that’s why I’ve just gone with him.

“People will watch this and say you’ve picked two Arsenal players, but I had to pick the number one because I played with him and he was unbelievable.”

Who is Arsenal’s greatest-ever player?

Despite countless world-class players appearing at Highbury and the Emirates over the years, Henry, Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira are almost always the first players that come to mind when deciding who was the best of them all.

Henry arguably made a more obvious impact given his astonishing goal record, and the fear he put into opposition defences over the years. However, when it comes to pure footballing ability, and a technical level, everyone was a level behind Bergkamp.

The Ajax legend was Arsenal’s most high-profile signing for nearly two decades when he arrived from Inter Milan, and he made a lasting impact in his 11 years at the club, winning three league titles.

It is a tough decision when selecting between Bergkamp and Henry, and there are arguments in favour of either legend. Merson’s comments come from his time spent playing alongside Bergkamp, and he did leave the club before Henry arrived, perhaps meaning that he was always going to be more inclined to pick the number 10.