Mikel Merino has completed his £33 million transfer from Real Sociedad to Arsenal, signing a four-year contract with the North London club after completing his medical a few days ago.
The 28-year-old Spanish midfielder will wear the No. 23 shirt and brings with him a wealth of experience, having recently been part of the Spain squad that triumphed at Euro 2024, playing in every match and helping his country defeat England in the final.
Merino expressed his excitement about joining Arsenal and his ambitions for the future in a video shared on the club's social media channels. "I'm just excited for this season," Merino said. "Hopefully we can keep doing big things as you guys have been doing. Just thank you."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who played a key role in bringing Merino to the Emirates, spoke highly of the new signing’s qualities and what he will bring to the team. "Mikel is a player who will bring us huge quality with his experience and versatility," Arteta said on the club’s website.
"He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now. Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality."
Arteta emphasised that Merino's experience as a winner would be invaluable to Arsenal’s squad. "As we all saw in the summer, Mikel is also a winner, with his strong performances throughout the Euros helping Spain win the tournament. We are delighted to welcome Mikel and his family to the club and can’t wait to start working with him."
Merino's arrival marks Arsenal's second major signing of the summer as they continue to bolster their squad in pursuit of challenging Manchester City's domestic dominance.
The Gunners have already made a strong start to the season, winning their first two matches, and with the addition of Merino, they hope to sustain their momentum and achieve even greater success.
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