Arsenal summer signing Mikel Merino suffered a shoulder injury shortly after his £32million move from Real Sociedad which delayed his debut while his impact has so far been limited
Mikel Merino is already making “big strides” into becoming a vital player in Arsenal ’s midfield.
Merino, 28, is taking time to win over the Arsenal fanbase after his move from Real Sociedad in a £32m deal last summer. But Gunners boss Mikel Arteta insists that Merino will make an even bigger impact with more games and minutes under his belt after a stuttering start to his Arsenal career.
Spain international Merino has scored twice and provided one assist in 13 appearances in the Premier League and is set to start against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup. But for a player who won the Euros with Spain last summer, the 6ft 2in midfielder looks more English than Spanish with his playing style. More physical than finesse.
There is definitely a player there but Arsenal have yet to get the best out of him. And Arteta has suggested that might be because he arrived later in the window and then missed the first few weeks after breaking his shoulder in his first training session.
Arteta said: “The way he is built is obviously different. He has a lot of quality, a capacity to arrive in the opposition’s box, he is really tidy on the ball, really comfortable. And he gives us that edge, that physicality, that capacity to win duels that is very important as well in the league.
“The last two weeks he has made a big stride there. He has had more continuity, more minutes. Physically he is in a much better place. He missed the whole pre-season and then he missed a lot of weeks with the injury, and you can tell that he is growing.”
Arteta also suggested that Merino’s physical presence will be important for Arsenal and gives them more power in midfield which is what they were looking for. “Because the players we have, the interactions that we have, the connection we can have in midfield requires that, and requires someone left-footed in that unit as well. Something we did not have.
“We believe that he is the right player for us.” The other issue for Merino is that he arrived in what was in retrospect an underwhelming summer transfer window which has played into the feeling that Arsenal have gone backwards this season.
They were crying out for more attacking options – an explosive left winger rather than a centre forward after Kai Havertz’s outstanding first season – but got a defensive midfielder and a left-back as the big-money buys. Riccardo Calafiori arrived in a deal worth £42m while Merino has yet to set the world alight. Raheem Sterling arrived on loan.
But while injuries and suspensions have played a part, Arsenal are a distant second in the title race and the domestic cups may be their best chance of success. They face a Newcastle side who have beaten them in the past two visits to St James’s Park and a simmering rivalry has developed between the two sets of fans. Arsenal had better ensure they have a first leg lead to take to Newcastle because they will be guaranteed a hot reception.
However, Arteta has played down the notion of any such “rivalry’ which could be seen as a genuine view or just not regarding Newcastle in that territory just yet. Arsenal get dog’s abuse for celebration pictures after games while Newcastle’s dressing room pictures are lauded on social media as a club with big ambition moving up the Premier League.
Arteta said: “Rivalry? No. From my side I have full respect and very good words towards them and what they do and how they do it. It is not a rivalry, it is a willingness to win against any opponent, including Newcastle. “That’s raised this season, when you see a lot of games, you see something different, and the temperature is different from the first to the second game of the season.”
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