Arsenal are planning to strengthen their midfield this summer, and Mikel Arteta’s plans for the central area are becoming clearer.
Arteta wants to build a midfield trio with the perfect blend of technical excellence, creativity, defensive awareness and physicality, and just needs one player to fill the gap alongside Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.
Real Sociedad stars Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi have been linked, and it is easy to see why the two Euro 2024 winners are coveted, given their superb passing ability, as well as their tactical nous to interchange between roles at number six and number eight.
The two both played alongside Odegaard during the Norweigan’s time at La Real, and Merino in particular was impressive in midfield with the Arsenal captain.
One iconic game in February 2020 saw Real Sociedad knock Real Madrid out of the Copa Del Rey, and it may have been this game which built Arsenal’s midfield blueprint for this summer.
Mikel Merino and Martin Odegaard both scored as Real Sociedad beat Real Madrid in 2020
Odegaard was on loan at Real Sociedad, but was allowed to play against his parent club Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey quarter-final.
Real Madrid played a strong lineup which included Toni Kroos, Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu, but they were ripped to shreds by the visiting side, who ran out 4-3 winners.
Long-term Arteta transfer target Alexander Isak scored a brace, with Odegaard and Merino both on the scoresheet, whilst former Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal was also in the starting XI.
Odegaard opened the scoring with a long-range effort which found its way past Alphonse Areola, after Isak had a shot parried out, before Isak then scored a quickfire second-half brace to astonishingly put his side 3-0 up.
Marcelo pulled one back for Real Madrid, but Merino struck just 10 minutes later, making a late run into the box to finish off a cross from Isak.
Rodrygo and Nacho would score in a late flurry, but it was too late, and Real Sociedad had secured a famous victory, and would go on to win the cup.
Real Sociedad set blueprint for Arteta’s dream Arsenal midfield
Imanol Alguacil’s side lined up in a 4-3-3 shape similar to what Arsenal play with now. Merino was in the left eight role, with Odegaard alongside him in the same role he excels in under Arteta.
Behind them was defensive midfielder Igor Zubeldia, who is the exact same height as Rice, and is also strong in the air and off the ball.
This showed that having a strong defensive midfielder behind Merino and Odegaard was the key to success, and created a midfield capable of destroying Real Madrid in their own stadium.
Merino and Odegaard have both evolved since, whilst Rice is one of the best ball-winners in European football.
The quality shown in that Real Sociedad victory in 2020 perhaps piqued Arteta’s interest in Odegaard, who arrived at Arsenal less than a year later, and may have alerted him to the quality of Merino, as well as the potential for them to replicate this success in North London.
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