2. Physical and technical presence
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Merino effectively fits under the umbrella of "classic" Spanish technicians, and he possesses the fundamentals to look at home with Arsenal's often fast-paced style of play.
However, what stands out most in his profile is his physical presence. Standing at 6'2, the former Newcastle man fits the trend of height preference under Arteta to a tee, and he ranked as the best duel-winning midfielder across Europe's premier divisions last season. In short, he's a physical behemoth.
Mikel Merino was the only player in Europe's top seven leagues to win 300+ duels during the 2023/24 season.
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 31, 2024
Call him Yu-Gi. 🤺 pic.twitter.com/V00vgJ0IMW
This combination of physicality in tandem with technicality gives a sense that Merino is perfectly suited to the Arsenal style of play, and fans could expect close to an instant impact as soon as he gets his opportunity on the pitch.
Continued on the next slide...