Mikel Arteta has tried various ways to find a player who could be the true commander of his midfield. Numerous players have come to London, with serious amounts of money being spent, but few have managed to meet the demands of the Gunners’ rather demanding strategist. In the end, the Basque coach had to bring in a player from his hometown of San Sebastián, who has been leading the Real Sociedad team on the field for years. Now, the time has come for him to take on that role at Arsenal. The player in question is Mikel Merino, who has signed a contract until the summer of 2028, with Real Sociedad receiving a transfer fee of €32.5 million, along with an additional €5 million in bonuses.Nketiah set to become the Eagle!Merino (28) has practically defined an era at Anoeta. He wore the Real Sociedad jersey for six years, playing 242 matches, scoring 27 goals, and providing 23 assists. He is a player who commands the entire team, distributes the ball, and manages the game in all directions. However, now the time has come for him to show whether he can be the leader of a team that has been eagerly aiming to win the title in the toughest league in the world year after year.##EDITORS_CHOICE##Merino is a symbol of Real Sociedad, but he also has experience playing in various European leagues, including the Premier League, where he spent one season (2017/2018) with Newcastle United. In the summer of 2018, he moved from St. James’ Park to Anoeta in a transfer worth €12 million and stayed there for a full six seasons.”We are very happy to have completed the transfer of Mikel Merino. This was another great team effort by many people in the club to finalize the transfer of a player who attracted the interest of numerous clubs during the summer. Mikel was a key target for us this summer, and we identified him as a player who can perfectly fit into our team and profile, to improve us. He brings us additional quality, experience, physical strength, and athleticism,” said sporting director Edu.Ready to achieve big things – together ❤️Welcome to The Arsenal, Mikel Merino 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/WhbHXMaV1p— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 27, 2024 Mikel Arteta seems to have no doubt that his compatriot will be a crucial reinforcement in the upcoming period.”Mikel is a player who will bring us immense quality with his experience and versatility. He has been performing at the highest level for several seasons now, both at the club and international level. With his technical ability, along with his strong and positive character and personality, Mikel will significantly strengthen our team. As we’ve all seen over the summer, Mikel is also a winner, with his excellent performances at the Euros helping Spain win the tournament. We are thrilled to welcome Mikel and his family to the club, and we can’t wait to start working with him,” said Arteta.This transfer has automatically triggered Fabio Vieira’s loan move to Porto. He was one of Arsenal’s misses in the playmaker position, having been signed for €35 million in the summer of 2022, but he failed to establish himself as a key player for the team.##NAJAVA_MECA_8298280##
