Mikel Merino will be desperate to quickly find his feet at Arsenal following his summer arrival from Real Sociedad.
The Spanish midfielder’s Arsenal debut was delayed after he sustained an injury in his first training session in North London.
Mikel Merino did not make his Arsenal bow until earlier this month when he appeared as a second half substitute against PSG in the Champions League. After that, there was just enough time for him to make another outing off the bench against Southampton in the Premier League before the international break.
The Euro 2024 winner will be eager to make up for lost time when the Gunners are back in action. There is an argument that Merino should start against Bournemouth this weekend.
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Arsenal ace Mikel Merino reveals Premier League objective
In any case, the stage is now set for Merino to make his mark at Arsenal, and indeed in English football.
This is the 28-year-old’s second attempt at establishing himself in the Premier League, having previously spent a brief stint with Newcastle United.
However, he never really settled at St James’ Park, and required the switch to Real Sociedad in La Liga to get his career truly up and running.
On the latest episode of Colney Carpool, available on the official Arsenal website, Merino was asked if the chance to return to the Premier League was a motivating factor in his decision to join Arsenal.
He replied: “It was one of my goals. After my time in Spain, I think this is the step I needed in my career to prove my value and to see how I feel in the best league in the world again.”
Merino impresses Arsenal fans with Spain
Merino has featured for Spain over the course of this international break, getting some vital minutes in the tank as he continues to work his way back towards full match fitness.
He came off the bench for the final half hour against Denmark before starting and racking up 65 minutes against Serbia.
Arsenal fans on X who saw Merino represent his country this week were enthused by his performances.
One said: “We’ve got another gem in our squad.”
Another stated: “He’s going to bang for us. Massively under the radar because he’s not featured and we’ve handled early challenges well enough. Potential to be crucial to our title aspirations.”
One supporter claimed: “Sometimes, international breaks can be a good thing he must be pushing Partey for that spot.”
Another added: “He’s such a good player mate , so underrated by half our fanbase for some reason , can’t wait til he starts.”
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