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On Tuesday, Arsenal officially announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino on a four-year agreement. The player joined from La Liga club Real Sociedad.
In Merino, Arsenal have acquired a great asset. If the versatile player stays fit, he will be a key figure in leading the Gunners to a Premier League title they’ve so much wanted – one that they came closest to winning in the past two seasons compared to 10+ years prior.
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Why did Arsenal go for Merino and what makes him so special?
When Mikel Merino was 21, he had already played in three different countries. His combative nature, awareness, athleticism and overall contributions in box-to-box situations set him apart.
Joining from Real Sociedad, Arsenal fans have a lot to look forward to in Merino. The Spanish midfielder spent six La Liga campaigns at Sociedad and played alongside some of the finest midfielders in Europe.
Current Arsenal captain and former Real Madrid man Martin Ødegaard featured with Merino at Sociedad. The Norway international was on loan at the club from Madrid in the 2019/20 season.
Merino also played with Martín Zubimendi and former Manchester City midfield maestro David Silva.
His name may not be one that raises lots of eyebrows when mentioned but those who pay rapt attention to the Spanish league and stats will understand better.
The 28-year-old European Championship winner has an enviable record that only an elite number of players can match.
In the Spanish La Liga last term, the midfielder had 124 flick-ons (47 successful) – the most of any player.
Arsenal’s new man is a great midfielder
Across Europe’s top five leagues in the 2023/24 season, no player won more duels than Mikel Merino did (326). His closest challenger was even some distance away with his number, and that’s Newcastle United energetic midfielder Bruno Guimaraes (286). It should be noted that Merino played five games lesser.
Interestingly, Cadiz forward Chris Ramos (600) recorded the highest number of duels contested in Europe’s top five leagues last season. Guess who came second. You guessed right – Mikel Merino! He had 581 and that made him the midfielder with the highest number in England, Italy, Spain, France, or Germany’s top-flights.
Note that once again, Merino played five lesser games than Ramos. Meanwhile, the midfield player recovered possession on an average of 7.1 times per game.
His number of firsts isn’t finished yet. To prove how strong he is in the air, Merino won 168 aerial duels, becoming the midfielder with the most.
Mikel Merino’s attacking abilities
In attack, Merino has continued to grow from strength to strength. In the most recent football season, he recorded his best goalscoring form.
Mikel Oyarzabal was the only Real Sociedad player to score more goals than Merino’s eight last season. Merino’s contributions were crucial to Sociedad finishing sixth in La Liga.
Over the past two seasons, the player has been directly involved in 25 goals across all competitions. As he approaches his peak years, his influence on the field continues to grow.
This will excite Arsenal fans as they welcome the Spaniard who joins an array of incisive midfielders at the Emirates.
Merino’s work ethic is unmatched, willing to cover every blade of grass on the pitch. Primarily deployed on the left side of a central midfield trio, he thrives in other midfield positions. The player also consistently demonstrates versatility and commitment.
Already blessed with great midfielders like Ødegaard, Thomas Partey, and Jorginho, Merino will no doubt add more quality to the Arsenal squad and help them compete for the Premier League title and the Champions League, not leaving out other cup competitions as well.
Tags: Mikel Merino, Arsenal, Premier League, La Liga, Real Sociedad, Martin Ødegaard, David Silva, Spain, #NewsRoundTheClock, #nrtcnewsnigeria, #nrtcnews, #nrtcnigeria, #nrtcsports.
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