Arsenal signed Mikel Merino, a Spanish midfielder, from Real Sociedad in a move that is going to bolster their squad. The 28-year-old Spaniard, who used to play for Borussia Dortmund prior to joining Real Sociedad, has played in 242 matches for the Spanish club, scoring 27 goals.
He also enjoyed a brief loan-spell with Newcastle United in the 2017/18 season and hence, has a prior experience, albeit small, of playing in the Premier League. More importantly, however, he was a part of the Spanish national team that won the European Championships in 2024.
Arsenal Heavily Reliant on Ødegaard in Midfield
The Gunners typically play with a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Ødegaard usually starting as their No. 10. However, they do not have a creative midfielder of much quality and consistency to provide the creative spark at the centre of the pitch.
Fabio Vieira is a skillful player, but probably do not have the physical attributes to succeed in Premier League. Mikel Arteta’s team have a pair of brilliant wingers in the form of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and thus has a solid back-up in the form of Leandro Trossard, but do not have too many options in the middle of the park. The likes of Declan Rice and Thomas Partey are very good in deeper roles, but cannot be used as a back-up to Ødegaard.
Hence, the decision to spend almost 32 million GBP on Merino seems to be a judicious one. Merino’s biggest claim to fame is probably his match-winning goal against Germany in the quarterfinal of the European Championships, which was unarguably their stiffest test in the tournament.
Hence, he can be trusted to score goals despite having a slightly underwhelming scoring record while playing for his previous clubs. However, as things stand at the moment, Merino should find it considerably hard to make it to the starting XI for Arsenal, should the Gunners stick to a 4-2-3-1.
However, should they decide to play with a 4-3-3, Merino and Ødegaard can then play as the two central midfielders in that set-up. Still, Rice has shown repeatedly that he thrives while playing alongside another defensive midfielder, which might discourage Arteta to change the formation.
Hence, one can sense that Merino might not make to the starting XI often, at least initially. However, should he be able to make a mark by using the opportunities that come his way, he might then begin to merit more game-time.
Arsenal Will Want a Settled Team for North London Derby
The Gunners will take on Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby on 15 September. Right after that, they will get underway in the revamped UEFA Champions League four days later, as they will head to Italy to face Atalanta. As a result, they will need their new players to gel in the team quickly.
They have a few more favourable opponents thereafter and hence, Arteta will want to gain as many points as possible from Arsenal’s next two matches. It remains to be seen whether Merino manages to help the Gunners’ cause by making a strong debut for the club.