OFFICIAL statement released as Arsenal welcome BRAND NEW Signing to Emirates

Spain international Mikel Merino has joined Arsenal from La Liga side Real Sociedad on a long-term contract and become the Gunners second summer signing of the summer following the arrival of Riccardo Calafiori.

ARSENAL posted on the club Website: ‘The 28-year-old midfielder has been a vital member of Sociedad’s team since joining the Basque side in 2018. In the heart of their midfield, he made 242 appearances, scoring 27 goals and assisting 30 times.

Born in Pamplona, Spain, Mikel started his career with Osasuna. He progressed through their youth ranks into the first team, where he made 67 appearances and scored eight goals. In July 2016, he joined Borussia Dortmund and helped them win the German Cup the following May.

That summer, Mikel joined Newcastle United on a season-long loan and, after making a strong early impression, he was signed on a permanent deal just a couple of months later, going on to make 24 Premier League appearances in his debut season.

In 2018, Sociedad signed Mikel and he has played his football there ever since. He played an integral role as they won the 2020 Copa del Rey, and qualified for the Champions League last season, when he won more duels for possession than any other player in Europe’s top leagues, with 326 recoveries.

Mikel is an experienced international with 28 appearances for Spain. At youth level, he won the European Under-19 Championship in 2015 and the European Under-21 Championship in 2019. He also has an Olympic silver medal, playing a key role in Spain’s second-place finish at the 2020 Games in Japan

He was part of the squad that won the 2023 UEFA Nations League, beating Croatia 5-4 on penalties in the Rotterdam final. More recently, the midfielder helped his nation win the European Championships, with Spain beating England 2-1 in the final.

‘Mikel notably made his mark on La Roja’s road to the final, scoring a 119th-minute winner in their quarter-final against Germany.

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