- Midfielder Mikel Merino set to sign a four-year deal with an option for an additional year
- Arteta’s recent recruitment strategy visibly prioritises physicality
- Arsenal looks to match Manchester City’s powerful defensive unit
Arsenal is closing in on a deal that could significantly boost its title challenge and give it the needed edge over title rivals Manchester City.
The club has reportedly agreed in principle to sign Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad for a fee of €33.5 million (£28.4 million), with an additional €5 million in variables. This signing pin-points a pivotal moment in Mikel Arteta’s strategy to strengthen his squad for the upcoming season.
Merino, who is expected to commit to a four-year deal with an option for a fifth, has been on Arsenal’s radar for some time.
With just one year left on his contract at Sociedad, the Gunners intensified their pursuit, especially after the player’s absence from a recent match against Rayo Vallecano fueled speculation about his future.
If the deal is finalised, Merino will join David Raya and Riccardo Calafiori as Arsenal’s summer signings. Merino, who started his professional journey at Osasuna and had stints at Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United, became a key player at Real Sociedad, with 27 goals and 30 assists in 242 appearances.
His experience on the international stage, including Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, further answers why Mikel Arteta is bent on bringing him to the Emirates.
As Arsenal prepares for their next Premier League clash against Aston Villa, all eyes will be on how Merino integrates into a squad that has struggled to fill the gap left by Granit Xhaka’s departure to Bayer Leverkusen.
The Gunners have been astute in the transfer market, securing Golden Glove winner David Raya and very sought-after Italian centre-back Riccardo Calafiori for £42m.
Now, with Merino’s expected arrival, Arsenal looks to solidify their midfield, which has been a point of contention since Kai Havertz’s experiment as the left-sided No. 8 didn’t go as planned.
Arteta’s focus on physicality has been evident, particularly against Manchester City.
“Physicality is something that you need in the league,” he emphasised ahead of Arsenal’s match against City last season.
With Pep Guardiola’s squad featuring the towering figures of Ruben Dias, John Stones, and Josko Gvardiol, Arteta’s defensive unit, bolstered by players like Calafiori and potentially Merino, aims to compete on equal footing.
This year’s strategy seems like an offshoot of last summer’s, where Arsenal spent £170m on Kai Havertz and Declan Rice. Arteta’s comments on Rice’s “quality and size” and Havertz’s attributes show the importance of building a physically imposing squad capable of challenging for the Premier League title, more especially against a team like Manchester City.
"He's got the physical qualities we have been missing for a while, and that's why we had to get him," he said.
Arteta’s vision draws parallels with Arsenal’s 2004 Invincibles, a team renowned for its physical dominance. With Merino’s signing, Arsenal hopes to recapture that spirit and mount a serious title challenge this season.
Transfer round-up: Issues surrounding Arsenal’s new signing, Riccardo Calafiori
Previously, TheRadar reported that Premier League side Arsenal FC were not the only club in the race for the versatile defender, other European giants like Juventus, Real Madrid and the Premier League side, Chelsea were also in contact with the player’s representative.
The 22-year-old was, however, more convinced with Mikel Arteta’s project.
