Arsenal have announced the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino in a transfer deal worth £27.4m fee (plus £4.2m in add-ons) .
Merino who helped Spain win Euro 2024 has been linked to Arsenal all summer and now Mikel Arteta has finally gotten his man in a move which adds strength in-depth to the Spanish tactician midfield. The Spain international signed a four-year contract, plus the option of an extra 12 months.
Having played for Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund in the past, Arsenal fans will have no issues with Merino settling to his new environment.
Speaking about his new player, Arteta commented: “Mikel is a player who will bring us huge quality with his experience and versatility. He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now. Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality.”
“As we all saw in the summer, Mikel is also a winner, with his strong performances throughout the Euros helping Spain win the tournament. We are delighted to welcome Mikel and his family to the club and can’t wait to start working with him.”
Sporting director Edu added: “We are so happy to have completed the transfer of Mikel Merino. This has been another great team effort from many people at the club to finalise the transfer of a player who attracted interest from a number of clubs over the summer.
“Mikel was a key target for us this summer, and we identified him as a player who can fit perfectly into our squad and profile to improve us, as we aim to build on our strong performances of last season. With Mikel’s arrival, he brings us an added high quality of experience, physicality and athleticism as we look forward to this season ahead.
“We welcome Mikel and his family to the club, and look forward to seeing him play in the Arsenal shirt.”
Arsenal are still set to announce the departure of some players with midfielder Fabio Vieira to make a return to Porto after failing to impress at Emirate Stadium.
