Mikel Merino has been singing praises, calling him a coach like no other. Since arriving at from Real Sociedad last summer, the 28-year-old has become the Gunners' ultimate utility man, stepping up in both central midfield and even leading the line as a centre forward during the team's injury-struck campaign.

He's made his mark on the scoresheet too, netting four goals in his last seven appearances - a strike rate that would make many natural forwards proud. But for , it isn't just Arteta's bold tactical calls that stand out, it's his all-encompassing philosophies, both on and off the pitch.

"I'm learning a lot with him," the Spain international told . "Here, I've done things I've never worked on in my career before, which are helping me understand another way of seeing football.

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"Arteta is a very complete coach. He's taken the best from Guardiola: he wants to dominate, control the game, subdue opponents and limit their attack.

"Then, he has his own methodology for training and approaching matches, which is what makes great coaches. They take the best from everywhere, adapt it and convey it to their players. He's one of the best coaches in the world."

Arsenal appear headed for a third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League under Arteta. Trailing league leaders by 11 points with only seven games remaining, their window to mount a late title charge is quickly closing.

Still, despite falling short of top spot, Merino says Arteta has cultivating a winning mentality at the club - one firmly centred on the pursuit of silverware. "It's the first time I'm in an environment where titles are pursued, and that's openly discussed," he said.

"It speaks volumes about the club's mentality. Arsenal aren't a team built to come second; that's not acceptable here.

"The mentality is about winning titles, and we need to use that demand and frustration from not having done so yet as fuel. The more we try, the closer we'll get; hopefully, it'll be this year."

The Gunners remain in contention for their first-ever title, but the path ahead is anything but easy. Standing in their way are European heavyweights at every turn: first, a daunting quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, the first leg of which takes place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Should they overcome that hurdle, a semi-final showdown with PSG - who recently outplayed Liverpool over two legs - likely awaits. And if they reach the final, giants like Barcelona or Bayern Munich could be waiting.