Arsenal close in on Mikel Merino - How will Spanish international strengthen Arteta's men? (2024)

€50m market value

Arsenalare reportedly edging close to sealing their third signing of the summer in Mikel Merino According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are making progress withReal Sociedadover a fee for the midfielder in the region of €30 million for the 28-year-old former Newcastle man. Merino was left out of Sociedad's La Liga opening day defeat to Rayo Vallecano with club presidentJokin Aperribay confirming talks with Arsenal. He said: "Last week we had a meeting with Arsenal, on Saturday we had another conversation and we haven't had any more. We will have one this week and we will see how the conversations progress."

Merino scored the winning goal for Spain in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 against Germany, with his nation going on to beat England in the final and win the tournament. WithEmile Smith-Rowejoining Fulham, andJorginho andThomas Partey now both in their 30's, the Gunners could do with adding some depth to their midfield, and Merino may just be the profileMikel Arteta needs this summer. With Transfermarkt's expert insight from Spain, we bring you more on Merino, how he has performed inLa Liga and why he could be the perfect fit for the Gunners.

How Mikel Merino has performed in La Liga

Following just 12 months at St James' Park, Merino leftNewcastle in 2016 to return to La Liga and sign for Real Sociedad in a €12m deal. The Spaniard initially signed on a loan deal from Borussia Dortmund, before signing for €7m permanently only to be sold back to his homeland 11 days later. At the time of his return to La Liga, Merino had a market value of just €12m. Now six years later, after rebuilding his reputation in Spain, the midfielder boasts a market value of €50m. He currently ranks the fifth most valuable 28-year-old player in the world.

Since signing for Sociedad, Merino has become a crucial cog in the team's success. Txuri-Urdin (The White and Blues) won the Spanish Cup in 2020, beating Basque rivals Athletic Club in the final, and have finished in the top six in La Liga in each of the last five seasons. Iván Fuente is part of Transfermarkt's team in Spain and has been watching the midfielder closely, "Merino has grown a lot since his arrival at Real Sociedad. Now being 28, he possesses a lot more maturity which has allowed him to develop his position on the pitch. He is a solid midfielder, better on the right, with the ability to find the man available between the lines. He is also a midfielder who scores goals with ease." And indeed scoring goals from midfield is a key skill Merino has added to his game.

Since signing for Real Sociedad, Merino has scored 27 goals in 242 appearances in all competitions. That may not seem like a lot, but given he has usually played a more defensive midfield role, the numbers aren't bad. He's lethal in the air - no player in Europe's top five leagues won more aerial duels than Merino's 168 last season according to Whoscored. It should also be considered how Arteta managed to get goals out of Declan Rice last season. He scored seven Premier League goals - his previous record in the division was four goals. Fuente also tells us more about the other attributes Gunners can expect if Arsenal get the deal over the line, "He is good in the air, as he showed against Germany at the last European Championships, and has a strong tackle."

"Last season he was "the experience" in Real Sociedad's midfield, together with Brais Méndez, Fuente continued. "They formed a duo with the ability to generate play and Merino also has the ability to arrive dangerously in the opponent's area. He scored eight goals and provided five assists last season." There's no doubt Arsenal would be signing an experienced midfielder, and let's not forget a European champion, to their ranks, but how would the Spaniard fit into Arteta's team?

Why Arsenal want Mikel Merino

There could be little argument that last time he played in the Premier League it didn't quite go to plan, and Newcastle fans will tell you, they didn't miss him. Merino scored one goal and provided one assist in 24 league games for the Magpies. But it's a different player now that Arsenal are pursuing. As previously touched upon, their midfield is lacking depth. Mohamed Elneny has left the club. Smith-Rowe, who predominantly played as a midfielder last season, has departed. Arsenal really only have three senior players in their squad who can naturally play in one of the two deeper roles in Arteta's midfield in Rice, Jorginho and Partey. The former two are in their 30's and Partey has never been able to stay fit for an entire season at Arsenal.

"He would fit in very well in the Arsenal squad, but I'd be surprised if he's a starter." Fuente said when asked about how he thinks Merino would fit in at the Emirates. But that depth may be just what the Gunners need. Last term, they struggled to juggle the Premier League and Champions League at times, and adding a player to their ranks with Merino's experience could make a big difference - whether that be off the bench or from the start. At 28 years old, it's perhaps not a signing that will have Arsenal fans jubilant wit excitement, but it could prove to be another smart piece of business from the club.