Merino, a 28-year-old Spanish midfielder, currently plays for Real Sociedad and is a Spanish International with 25 caps. He is now with the national squad in Germany for this summer’s European Championships, where he has made two substitute appearances in Spain’s perfect start to the tournament.
Merino made his professional debut in 2014 for Osasuna, where he appeared 63 times, before spending a single season with both Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle, before joining Real Sociedad for six seasons.
Merino has been a key member of the Spanish squad since his return in 2018, appearing in 190 La Liga games and scoring 42 goals from midfield.
It is evident how Mikel Arteta plans to play following last season’s spectacular title challenge, which ended with the Gunners falling short on the final day. In their 4-3-3 formation, the midfield consists of a lone 6 and two number eights: Declan Rice (more box-to-box) and Martin Ødegaard.
Merino may fit into the Arsenal lineup in the role of Declan Rice. Last season in La Liga, he averaged 2.4 tackles per game compared to Rice’s 2.2, as well as 1.7 clearances vs Rice’s 1.3.
Merino demonstrates his willingness to perform the “dirty work” for his side while still contributing higher up the pitch. Standing at 6’2″, his physical features will not be an issue when adjusting to life in the Premier League.
The Spaniard’s high-energy play style also makes him an effective presser, which Arteta would have considered when selecting the midfielder as a target. This ideally matches the profile of a midfielder: someone who is comfortable on the ball and capable of scoring goals, while also providing defensive stability on the counter and in transition, something Arteta values.
His pass completion rate of 77.5% is lower than that of his teammates in North London (Jorginho – 90.8%, Rice – 90.7%, Thomas Partey – 90.3%, Ødegaard – 86.8%).
Some may question why Arsenal is signing a man who may not be a certain starter, and the answer is squad depth. After improving in the league previous season, one stumbling block was their performance outside of the Premier League.
A trophy is required to demonstrate Arteta’s success, and after being knocked out of the League Cup round of 16, the FA Cup third round, and the Champions League quarter-finals, the Gunners will be seeking for progress in the cup competitions.
Bringing in someone like Merino will help others to obtain much-needed rest throughout the season while also maintaining the team’s quality. Merino only has one year left on his contract in Spain, so Sociedad may want to cash in before losing him on a free transfer next summer if they can’t agree on a new deal.
Overall, Merino would be an excellent addition to Arsenal’s roster, bringing experience, more goals, roughness in defence, and much-needed depth. Last summer shown that midfielders are expensive; nevertheless, in Merino’s case, the Gunners could get a great deal if everything goes their way.