Why Mikel Arteta is the best manager for Mikel Merino

Arsenal have agreed a €37.5m deal to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad after weeks of negotiations.

He will be the fifth Spanish player to play under Mikel Arteta and the fourth to be signed by him. Arteta is reported to have played a crucial role in sealing the deal. Merino had other options but was clear that he only wanted a move to the Gunners, likely due to his new manager's influence.

There is no doubt that Arteta and Merino will have the perfect working relationship at Arsenal, but just why will that be the case?

Why Mikel Arteta and Mikel Merino will have the perfect working relationship at Arsenal

The most clear similarity between Mikel Arteta and Mikel Merino, other than their names of course, is their Spanish nationality. Merino will be one of two Spanish players in the current Arsenal squad, with the other being David Raya.

Being part of a very small collection of Spanish players at the club, Merino's shared nationality with Arteta will help them to develop a relationship different to other members of the squad. Although Raya is likely to share a good relationship with Arteta, Merino's would be expected to be stronger due to other similarities. It is important to note that this 'Spanish bond' will not make Merino stand out as a 'favourite' among the squad.

During his playing career, Arteta played as a midfielder, just as Merino does today. This will allow Arteta to help his new signing develop himself and improve even further by taking from his own experiences and passing his knowledge on.

Merino has also followed a similar path to the Premier League just as Arteta did. He has joined the league from Real Sociedad, just as his new boss did in 2005. While Merino has spent one season in England's top division with Newcastle United, this was seven years ago so there is no doubt he will need help adapting once again.

Arteta will be able to assist Merino in making the transition from playing in Spain to England, one that plenty of players have struggled with in the past. His decade-long experience in the Premier League and his incredible grasp of the demands and intricacies of the division will enable him to be a more than suitable mentor for the new addition.

It is likely that Arteta targeted Merino as a player that is able to be a midfield dominating force. He is more than capable of being that, considering he won the most duels out of any player in Europe's top seven leagues last season. If Merino can fulfil this, his relationship with Arteta would grow even greater.

Many fans have expected Merino to fill the void left by Granit Xhaka in the number eight role, allowing Declan Rice to switch to his more natural defensive midfield position. It was clear how good of a relationship Arteta shared with the Swiss international so Merino could not only fill the positional void but also the personal one too.

While plenty of this reasoning is slightly hypothetical, the different factors do point towards Arteta and Merino having a perfect working relationship. Arteta's experience and knowledge of the game, as well as the similarities they share, will allow him to be an excellent personal mentor for his new signing. If Merino can repay his boss with excellent performances on the pitch, they will get along both personally and professionally.

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