What can Arsenal expect from new signing Mikel Merino?

• Depth in midfield

• Physical and technical presence

• Long-term squad involvement

Real Sociedad v Rayo Vallecano - La Liga EA Sports
Real Sociedad v Rayo Vallecano - La Liga EA Sports / Diego Souto/GettyImages
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2. Physical and technical presence

Mikel Merino
Spain v England: Final - UEFA EURO 2024 / Visionhaus/GettyImages

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.

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.

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