There’s just one place to start out this morning and that’s the official arrival of Mikel Merino from Actual Sociedad.
It’s not precisely a bolt from the blue, however actually a welcome addition to a squad that wants it after the departures of Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira from midfield. He’s 28 years of age, with loads of expertise having performed in Spain, England and Germany, and I feel that facet is a key cause why we’ve introduced him in.
Usually, Arsenal have recruited youthful in recent times, with the odd exception like Leandro Trossard and Jorginho, however when you concentrate on learn how to increase a squad that got here so near profitable the title final season, a participant of Merino’s profile makes loads of sense. He gained’t want months to rise up to hurry and to come back to phrases with that Mikel Arteta will ask of him. He’s mainly able to go, and I feel there’s (largely) real readability as to his position on this group.
As a ball-winning, duel-monstering 8, he’ll slot into the midfield within the area that Granit Xhaka left when he departed. Declan Rice has performed there loads of late, however I think that because the season goes on (and kind and health permits/dictates), he’ll shift again a bit and that trio of Merino, Rice and Martin Odegaard would be the de facto first alternative. In fact issues can occur that we don’t count on – see one Ok.Havertz for proof of that – however that’s the place I feel we’ll see him.
I watched his video on the official website, and other than his impeccable English, you may see there’s a seriousness about him and what he desires from this transfer at a comparatively late stage in his profession. He says:
“I wouldn’t transfer to a membership that aren’t aligned with my wishes. What I would like is to develop, to win, to fulfil my desires and I feel this membership has the identical mentality. That is one thing I worth lots. I worth lots the work they put in each single day.”
Is the worth a bit of steep? Most likely, however then if he is available in and performs properly, I don’t suppose that might be a dialogue level in any respect. You’ll bear in mind individuals elevating extra than simply an eyebrow at £50m for Ben White a couple of years in the past, no one ever talks about what we paid for him now. So, it’s all the way down to the participant to carry out, and as I mentioned above, it is a excellent participant with huge expertise who ought to be capable to kind of in a position hit the bottom operating.
He is aware of Odegaard from the season the skipper spent on mortgage at Actual Sociedad, Kieran Tierney too, and the actual fact he’s frolicked in England (Newcastle!), means he shouldn’t have any points settling into life in London. Additionally, at 6’2 he’s one other large lad so as to add to an already large group, Nicolas Jover should be delighted with the concept of one other man within the opposition field who can win headers, and the imposing bodily measurement of this Arsenal facet is 100% deliberate.
So, all in all, a signing I’m very proud of, and we’ll wait and see if he’s concerned for the weekend. I think the bench for Brighton, however after that I’m certain he’ll be pushing to start out. For extra on Mikel Merino as a participant, you may test our new signing podcast over on Patreon, and Phil has his profile piece on our new quantity 23 on the positioning as properly.
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So, now we wait to see if the rest occurs earlier than the tip of the window. With a bit of over 2 days till the window closes, there isn’t loads of time to get something executed. There don’t look like any concrete hyperlinks with anybody sensible at this second in time, however let’s hope they’re working laborious within the background on somebody so as to add to the attacking line-up. The longer it goes although, the extra you are worried there gained’t be anybody. Or, maybe, they’re ready to attend for the participant they actually need in the event that they’re not obtainable on this window.
Past that, we’ll watch for affirmation of Eddie Nketiah’s transfer to Crystal Palace, and Fabio Vieira’s mortgage to Porto. Southampton have been in for Feyenoord keeper Justin Bijlow however that transfer has apparently damaged down attributable to considerations over his harm document, so does that put them again within the image for Aaron Ramsdale? Let’s see the way it goes.
For now, have a superb one.
