Mikel Merino explains what he will bring to Arsenal

Mikel Merino has promised Arsenal fans he will "fight 100 per cent" for every ball following his £31.6m transfer from Real Sociedad this week.

Merino had spent six years with the Basque club after a prior spell in the Premier League with Newcastle United, while he has become increasingly important for Spain at international level and played a significant role in his country's Euro 2024 triumph earlier this summer.

The core of Merino's game in winning the ball. Since his arrival, Arsenal have proudly shared that his 326 duels won last season was more than anyone else in Europe's top five leagues. Those kind of attributes should unlock Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in a more rounded Gunners midfield.

"I think that's a big part of my game and that shows the character that I have," he told Arsenal.com.

"I want to fight for every ball and this is something that I learnt when I was really young. Maybe you can win it, or you won't. I'm not promising I will win every duel, but what I can promise is that I will fight for every ball with 100 per cent.

"It's always tough to talk about myself in those kinds of terms, but I think I'm a hard worker, I want to call myself a good teammate. I like to work for the team with or without the ball. I'm always thinking about the collective aspect of the game. I like to play with the ball, I have a Spanish culture of football."

Merino had not long celebrated his 21st birthday when he joined newly re-promoted Newcastle in 2017, having spent an unsuccessful year at Borussia Dortmund. He made seven appearances on loan, followed by 18 after an obligation to buy was reached in a matter weeks, but was quickly sold on to Real Sociedad for a slight profit at the end of that season.

Even though it was relatively brief, Merino is counting on that past experience of English football to serve him well as he now returns to the Premier League at his peak.

"I think it will be massive, because of how tough this league is if you come as a new player," the player explained. "Maybe you don't realise it until you try it. But right now I have the idea of how this league is and how tough every game is. Obviously talking with teammates, or ex-teammates who are here, I know how high the standard is right now. You have to win every single game. I have a little idea of the stadiums, the teams, the atmosphere you are about to expect, it’s always an advantage."

Merino has previously played with new Arsenal colleagues Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard, when both had loans at Real Sociedad in 2023/24 and 2019/20 respectively.

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