Arsenal has completed the signing in principle of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino for £28.4m plus £4.2m in add-ons.
The Gunners have been pursuing Merino for over a month with the Emirates being the 28-year-old preferred destination. Merino’s move to Arsenal felt inevitable for several weeks and was finally completed.
Fabrizio Romano confirmed the Euro 2024 winner’s move on X as he said there is a “verbal agreement in place” between Sociedad and Arsenal.
🚨🔴⚪️ Mikel Merino to Arsenal, here we go! Verbal agreement in place for Spanish midfielder to join Gunners.
€32m plus €5m add-ons with favorable payment terms. Contract until 2028.
Arsenal were closing in on Merino deal since end of July, Merino only wanted Arsenal.
🧘🏼♂️🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/k0JjCeeBEO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 22, 2024
It won’t be Merino’s first time in the Premier League as the midfielder had a spell at Newcastle between 2017 and 2018 where he made 25 appearances for the Magpies with one goal and one assist.
He since spent the past six years at Real Sociedad and has made over 240 appearances for the La Liga side which Merino helped to a sixth-place finish last season.
How does Mikel Merino compare to Arsenal’s current midfielders?
Merino is a possession-based midfielder who likes to hold onto the ball and control the game in midfield. He brings something different to what Arsenal currently has.
Martin Odegaard is a pure attacking playmaker, Declan Rice has become an all-rounder who likes to win the ball but also get up the pitch and Thomas Partey is a pure anchor who adds physicality in midfield.
Last season, Merino made 32 appearances in La Liga and scored five goals and three assists, the Spaniard will provide both depth and stability in midfield for Mikel Arteta.
But how does his last season compare to Arsenal’s starting central midfielders?
| Name | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Mikel Merino | 32 | 5 | 3 |
| Declan Rice | 38 | 7 | 9 |
| Martin Odegaard | 35 | 8 | 10 |
| Thomas Partey | 14 | 0 | 0 |
How will Mikel Merino fit into Arsenal’s team?
Merino’s statistics from last season are fairly impressive. There is no chance that Arteta will drop either Declan Rice or Martin Odegaard for Merino so the casualty in midfield will be Thomas Partey.
However, if they lose Partey in the starting XI, they lose a lot of physical presence meaning that Declan Rice will be expected to play more of a defensive role.
In a more likely scenario, Arteta will rotate between Partey and Merino based on who Arsenal’s opponents are – if he wants more physicality and defensive acumen then Partey will start, if he wants to dominate possession and attack relentlessly then Merino will start.
He is a savvy signing by the Gunners who now have vital flexibility in midfield which could help them bridge the gap to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.