Mikel Merino: A sensible signing in a key position

There’s just one place to begin this morning and that’s the official arrival of Mikel Merino from Actual Sociedad.

It’s not precisely a bolt from the blue, however actually a welcome addition to a squad that wants it after the departures of Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira from midfield. He’s 28 years of age, with loads of expertise having performed in Spain, England and Germany, and I feel that side is a key cause why we’ve introduced him in.

Sometimes, Arsenal have recruited youthful in recent times, with the odd exception like Leandro Trossard and Jorginho, however when you consider methods to increase a squad that got here so near profitable the title final season, a participant of Merino’s profile makes a number of sense. He gained’t want months to stand up to hurry and to return to phrases with that Mikel Arteta will ask of him. He’s principally able to go, and I feel there’s (principally) real readability as to his function on this group.

As a ball-winning, duel-monstering 8, he’ll slot into the midfield within the area that Granit Xhaka left when he departed. Declan Rice has performed there a number of late, however I believe that because the season goes on (and type and health permits/dictates), he’ll shift again a bit and that trio of Merino, Rice and Martin Odegaard would be the de facto first selection. In fact issues can occur that we don’t anticipate – see one Ok.Havertz for proof of that – however that’s the place I feel we’ll see him.

I watched his video on the official website, and apart from his impeccable English, you possibly can see there’s a seriousness about him and what he desires from this transfer at a comparatively late stage in his profession. He says:

“I wouldn’t transfer to a membership that aren’t aligned with my needs. What I need is to develop, to win, to fulfil my goals and I feel this membership has the identical mentality. That is one thing I worth quite a bit. I worth quite a bit the work they put in each single day.”

Is the value just a little steep? In all probability, however then if he is available in and performs effectively, I don’t assume that shall be a dialogue level in any respect. You’ll keep in mind folks elevating extra than simply an eyebrow at £50m for Ben White a couple of years in the past, no person ever talks about what we paid for him now. So, it’s all the way down to the participant to carry out, and as I stated above, it is a superb participant with huge expertise who ought to be capable to kind of ready hit the bottom operating.

He is aware of Odegaard from the season the skipper spent on mortgage at Actual Sociedad, Kieran Tierney too, and the actual fact he’s frolicked in England (Newcastle!), means he shouldn’t have any points settling into life in London. Additionally, at 6’2 he’s one other large lad so as to add to an already large group, Nicolas Jover should be delighted with the thought of one other man within the opposition field who can win headers, and the imposing bodily dimension of this Arsenal aspect is 100% deliberate.

So, all in all, a signing I’m very proud of, and we’ll wait and see if he’s concerned for the weekend. I believe the bench for Brighton, however after that I’m certain he’ll be pushing to begin. For extra on Mikel Merino as a participant, you possibly can test our new signing podcast over on Patreon, and Phil has his profile piece on our new quantity 23 on the location as effectively.

—

So, now we wait to see if the rest occurs earlier than the tip of the window. With just a little over 2 days till the window closes, there isn’t a number of time to get something achieved. There don’t seem like any concrete hyperlinks with anybody practical at this second in time, however let’s hope they’re working arduous within the background on somebody so as to add to the attacking line-up. The longer it goes although, the extra you are concerned there gained’t be anybody. Or, maybe, they’re ready to attend for the participant they really need in the event that they’re not out there on this window.

Past that, we’ll anticipate affirmation of Eddie Nketiah’s transfer to Crystal Palace, and Fabio Vieira’s mortgage to Porto. Southampton had been in for Feyenoord keeper Justin Bijlow however that transfer has apparently damaged down as a result of considerations over his harm document, so does that put them again within the image for Aaron Ramsdale? Let’s see the way it goes.

For now, have a superb one.