Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin is welcoming the added competition from new signing Granit Xhaka, saying they will "have a good fight" for playing time at the club.
Coquelin became Arsenal's first-choice holding midfielder midway through the 2014-15 season but could see his role under threat after Arsene Wenger brought in Xhaka from Borussia Moenchengladbach this summer.
The hard-tackling Switzerland international is widely expected to play in a deeper-lying role in the Gunners' midfield, meaning the likes of Coquelin and Mohamed Elneny could get relegated to the bench. Wenger also has the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Santi Cazorla and Jack Wilshere to choose from when it comes to creating a central midfield partnership.
And according to Coquelin, that level of competition is a good thing.
"There's always going to be great players around the club and everyone needs to be ready for it. We're going to have a good fight, and it's going to be a positive fight for everyone and it's going to bring the best out of every one of us," Coquelin told the Arsenal website. "I saw him [Xhaka] in the Euros and he's a good passer of the ball, he's strong and good in the air so I think he's going to add quality and strength to the squad and that's a good thing."
Defender Per Mertesacker is also excited about the qualities that Xhaka will bring when he joins up with the Gunners in preseason training.
"He's a leader and that is really important, especially in midfield. He has got a very good attitude, is very composed on the ball and contributes a lot," Mertesacker said. "He is a good passer as well, so he will set the tempo. I am looking forward to how he does it, how composed he will be in training and in the games. He will be a perfect fit for us."