Arsenal have officially announced the signing of Mikel Merino from La Liga club, Real Sociedad. The Spanish international signs a four-year contract, with an option for a fifth year. The Gunners are believed to have paid £27.4m fee for the 28-year old. Merino will wear the no.23 shirt for Arsenal.
The 28-year old has previous experience of the Premier League, having spent a year at Newcastle. He completed his medical tests after flying to London last week. Manager Mikel Arteta pushed for his signature as it is believed that Merino will add versatility and experience to his young squad. The manager is delighted to have him onboard, as he said;
“He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now. Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality. As we all saw in the summer, Mikel is also a winner. We are delighted to welcome Mikel and his family to the club and can’t wait to start working with him.”
The 28-year old is a very efficient box-to-box midfielder and will help provide competition to Jorginho and Thomas Partey.
Merino has 190 caps for Real Sociedad, made 45 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring eight goals and providing 5 assists. He has made 28 appearances for Spain, featuring in the Euro 2024 and winning the tournament.
Mikel Merino to revolutionize Arsenal’s midfield?
Arsenal have finally announced the signing of Mikel Merino after months of negotiations.
Merino is a left-footed player, who has mostly played in a box-to-box role. He has also played as an anchor man, usually in a double pivot. Passing is one of his biggest strengths, as he excels in penetrating opposition midfield with through passes. He reads the game brilliantly and knows where to pass in crunch situations.
As per data collected from Opta, Merino passes the ball roughly 50 times during a game with a pass completion rate of 78%. He also plays 0.7 key passes each game which leads to significant scoring chances. He gets an average of 0.11 assists for every 90 minutes This stat puts him above 70 percent of the players in the La Liga.
Defensively, he is a very aggressive player. He does not shy away from challenging in duels and winning possession back from opponents. The 28-year old is brilliant at guarding half-spaces and preventing counter attacks.
As per data, Merino attempts an average of 3 tackles per game with a success rate of 85%. He boasts an average of 61% success rate in winning duels and at least 8 recoveries per 90 minutes.
The Spanish international makes frequent forward runs in support of wingers, positioning themselves high up the pitch. Merino’s high positioning has often drawn out defenders, creating space for forwards in the front line. He usually starts from a deep position wary of counter attacks with the ability to join attacks in regular intervals.
Fans have huge expectations in the midfielder who is deemed to revolutionize the Arsenal midfield.
Agent Kieran Tierney: The Scot played a key role in this transfer saga
Mikel Merino was the top target for Arsenal and they held talks with Real Sociedad for months. Negotiations with Real Sociedad were difficult, but Edu Gaspar managed to get the deal over the line.
Arsenal defender, Kieran Tierney, played a major role in bringing Merino to the Emirates. The Scot was sent to Sociedad on a season-long loan deal last year, where he built a good relationship with Mikel due to his ability to speak fluent English.
The full-back explained the pros of representing the Gunners and how it feels to wear the historic red and white shirt in front of a fully packed Emirates. He suggested Merino that life at North London is great and he would love the atmosphere.
During his first interview with Arsenal reporters, Merino was asked about Tierney. He says;
“Yes, of course, we were talking last year as well, when we were there. I was asking some questions, because I always want to learn new things, and how life was in Arsenal, how they were doing things. We spoke a few hours ago as well, and he said that this is a huge step for me in terms of my football career and also that I will love London and England. If he says this is a good place, then this is a good place.”
For more sports updates, make sure to follow us on:
