10 Interesting Facts Arsenal Fans Should Know About Mikel Merino

Welcome to Arsenal, Welcome to England  Mikel Merino. The Spanish international got signed in the summer from Real Sociedad for €37.5 million to supposedly partner in midfield with Odegaard and Declan Rice.

Merino has had short spells at Dortmund in Germany and Newcastle in England after starting out in Osasuna. He got to Real Sociedad in 2018 and since then, he has developed into one of the best midfielders in the league. Arsenal fans might not know much about him until the Euros 2024 where he announced himself fully. So here are 10 things Arsenal fans should know about their new mid-field maestro, Mikel Merino.

1) Merino’s Early Life

Merino was born in June 1996 in Pamplona, a city located in the Navarre region of Spain. Navarre is right next to the county of Basque County, which is the homeland of Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta.

The Basque and Navarre regions are known for their strong work ethic, a trait that is often reflected in the players that emerge from these areas, like Xavi Alonso and Mikel Arteta. Mikel Mourinho is a product of this environment also. He carries within the values of dedication, resilience which is evident in his playing style and his professional journey.

2) Mikel’s Football Heritage

Mikel Merino’s father, Miguel Merino, was also a professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder for clubs like Osasuna and Celta Vigo.

He made over 300 appearances between the two clubs. Growing up, Mikel idolized his father not only following his footsteps but also mirroring his playing style as a defensive midfielder.

3) Merino’s Career Journey

Breaking through at Osasuna. Mikel Moreno’s footballing journey began at Osasuna’s youth academy and it’s a club where his father was an icon in. He made his first team debut at the age of 18 in La Liga quickly established himself as a regular in the starting lineup.

In his debut season Moreno played a crucial role in helping Osasuna avoid relegation. By second season at just 20 years old he started 34 games contributing to four goals and this helped Osasuna secure a six play finish in the league.

4) What is His Playing Style?

Number four is his style of play. Mikel Moreno is primarily a left-footed midfielder who excels in the number eight role. Moreno’s strengths lies in long reach passing, his ability to drop deep to receive the ball and his skill in distributing effectively across the pitch.

He’s also known for his tenacity and aggressiveness in tackles often out masters his opponents with physical presence.

Despite his defensive inclinations, Merino is not shy of contributing to the attack as evident that he scored eight goals last season for Sociedad and over the past two seasons, Merino has accumulated an impressive 24 G/A and that’s an outstanding statistic for a midfielder who’s primarily focused on defensive duties.

5) Shaky Start to his Career

Let’s talk about his nomadic early career. So after just two seasons with Osasuna Merino’s potential was recognized by Borussia Dortmund and they signed him. However, adapting to the German style was challenging for Merino and after one season under Thomas Tuchel, he was loaned out to Newcastle for his first experience in the Premier League.

At Newcastle, Merino quickly adapted to the English game. He led the team in interceptions, passes attempted and pass accuracy. His time at Newcastle showcased his versatility and ability to thrive in different football environments.

However, injuries stopped him from fully thriving in Premier League which leads us to the next point.

6) Career Resurgence in Spain

So by the age of 21, Mikel Merino had already played for three top clubs across three different countries and it was at Real Sociedad, his fourth club, his home region club, where he truly established himself as one of the most reliable midfielders in La Liga. He spent six successful seasons with Sociedad.

Merino helped the club secure the first trophy in over 30 years by winning the Copa del Rey in 2020. His consistent performances also played a pivotal role in Sociedad’s qualifications for the Champions League in 2022 and it earned him a spot in the La Liga team of that season.

Merino’s time at Sociedad allowed him to develop into a complete midfielder, combining his defensive abilities with an increased influence in the attacking flow.

7) International Career With Spain

Mikel received his first call-up to Spain national team in 2020 at the age of 24. Since then, he has earned 28 caps and scored two goals for his country.

His most memorable moment was in the Euro 2024 campaign, where he scored the winning goal in the 190th minute of the quarterfinal against Host Nation, Germany.

Merino also featured in the final against England, where they won. He became one of the few players, one of 12 actually, to have won both the youth and senior European championships.

8) Defensive Prowess

So one of the most striking aspects of Mikel Merino’s games is his ability to win challenges and duels.

In the 2023-24 season, Mikel Merino led all players in Europe’s top five leagues in duels won, with a staggering 326 duel victories and that’s significantly ahead of second place, who is Bruno Guimaraes at 286. He also led in winning headers and flick-offs in La Liga.

On average, he completes eight challenges and he wins back possession on average seven times per match. He uses height and physicality, and that makes him a formidable presence in aerial duels.

9) Reunion With Martin Odegaard

Arsenal fans will be very pleased to know that Mikel Merino shares a strong bond with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard. The two played together at Real Sociedad during the 2019-20 season, forming a formidable partnership in the midfield.

Their chemistry was instrumental in Sociedad’s successful season, which saw them finish sixth in the league and reached the Copa del Rey final.

This existing relationship should benefit Arsenal, as Merino’s familiarity with Odegaard’s style of play will help him settle quickly at the club.

Additionally, Merino’s previous experience in the Premier League, coupled with the presence of several Spanish players in Arsenal’s squad including the manager, will further ease his transition and adapt to the Premier League and Arsenal.

10) Arsenal’s Dream Midfield Trio

And finally, at number 10, Merino completes Arsenal’s midfield dream trio. Mikel’s arrival at Arsenal represents the final piece of the puzzle that Mikel Arteta had been trying to solve since the departure of Granit Xhaka at number 8, a clear, well-established number 8.

Arsenal’s experimented with Kai Havertz in midfield last season, and that completely flopped because he can’t play in midfield, and he has a lack of experience in that role. Then you have Thomas Partey, who’s constantly injured, and then you have Jorginho, who’s way past his peak. So that left a void that needed to be filled.

Merino, at 28 years old, he’s no spring chicken, he’s in the prime of his career, he’s the idol signing to complement and anchor the defensive duties with Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in Arsenal’s midfield.

Merino will operate as the box-to-box midfielder just slightly above Rice and Odegaard will be the creative force and the attacking midfielder. Another very important aspect about this midfield is that all three can complement each other’s specialties’.

Together this trio has the potential to bring balance dynamism and versatility to Arsenal’s midfield. It addresses the weaknesses that have been apparent the past two seasons.

Mikel Merino signing signals Arsenal’s intent to compete at the highest level right now and not to wait that’s why they didn’t buy a player on potential, they bought a player that’s at his current peak. Arsenal will surely feel like this team is complete and finally ready to defeat Man City to the Premier League title.

Here you go! So that was 10 things Arsenal fans should know about Mikel Merino. See you again.