Arsenal had long been in search of an additional defensive midfielder throughout the summer transfer window, and they can now breathe easy with the acquisition of Mikel Merino.
After extensive efforts, the Gunners secured Merino’s signature for €37 million, a price considered a bargain given the talent and experience the Spanish international brings to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Despite his talent, Merino’s career has faced ups and downs. Born in 1996, he emerged from Osasuna’s youth academy and was promoted to the first team in 2014 at just 18. At that time, he was seen as one of the brightest prospects in Spanish football, attracting interest from many clubs.
In the summer of 2016, after two seasons with Osasuna, Merino moved to Borussia Dortmund, a club known for nurturing young talent. However, his stay at Signal Iduna Park was short-lived.
He was loaned to Newcastle in 2017 and subsequently sold to the English club in 2018 for €7 million. However, Newcastle immediately sold him to Real Sociedad for €12 million, where he made a name for himself.
During his single Premier League season (2017/18), Merino excelled as a central midfielder for The Magpies. On average per 90 minutes, he led the club in tackles (2.3), ball recoveries (9.5), and passes completed (55.7).
This solid performance provides a strong foundation to believe that Merino’s return to England will be highly successful. His style of play is also seen as perfectly suited to the system that compatriot Mikel Arteta has been diligently building.
This season, with Jorginho aging and Thomas Partey’s stability in question, adding a top-class defensive midfielder to partner Declan Rice in the midfield has become a pressing need. This urgency drove Arsenal’s summer transfer market activity to find the right player.
In fact, Arsenal came close to acquiring Everton’s Amadou Onana early in the summer, only to see Aston Villa swoop in. As a result, Merino is viewed as a crucial signing for the Emirates Stadium side.
With proven quality, Premier League experience, and a EURO 2024 title under his belt, the 28-year-old midfielder will be a perfect piece for Arsenal as they aim for a successful season with the primary goal of dethroning Manchester City.
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