Mikel Arteta says Declan Rice has to do something ‘really important’ when Mikel Merino joins Arsenal

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Arsenal are about to add serious quality to their midfield as they close in on the signing of Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.

A deal has been agreed between Arsenal and Real Sociedad to bring Merino to North London, and the Spaniard will return to the Premier League for the first time since leaving Newcastle in 2018.

The Euro 2024 winner is best deployed in a ‘number eight’ role in midfield, and looks set to rekindle his successful relationship with Martin Odegaard, with the pair performing superbly for Real Sociedad in 2019-20.

With Merino arriving, Declan Rice’s role could change in the midfield. Rice started at the base of the trio when he arrived, but in 2024 he has played a more advanced role as a number eight, with Jorginho or Thomas Partey behind him.

Mikel Arteta has now revealed what he plans to do with Rice as Merino arrives, with the pair expected to play together alongside Odegaard.

• READ MORE: Every player linked to and from Arsenal in the summer 2024 transfer window

Mikel Arteta explains Declan Rice position plans as Mikel Merino arrives at Arsenal

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Aston Villa, Arteta stated that he needs Rice to excel as both a number six and eight, with the Englishman needed in both positions.

“I think [both]. At his age, it would be a big mistake not to do that and not to have the capacity to play in different positions, and then within the game he will have a different role in relation to the opponents and what they do,” Arteat explained of Rice’s positioning.

“Last year he showed he has the ability to shift from one thing to the other, sometimes within the same game, and with the short squad that we have, that’s really important.”

Declan Rice and Mikel Merino will form fluid midfield for Arsenal

Although both Rice and Merino have thrived in the more attacking number eight role, both are capable of playing as a defensive midfielder.

Both are intelligent on and off the ball, and both are superb defensively, with Merino winning more duels than any player in Europe last season.

Rice and Merino will interchange with each other in both positions within each game, and the pair could even change shape to form a pivot where they can play next to each other.

This could end up forming a perfectly-balanced midfield, without restricting Rice to a more defensive role, and the England star will have an important role to play to make it work.