Mikel Merino has shared his newfound perspective on football after his initial month under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. The Spanish midfielder made his delayed debut in the 2-0 Champions League home victory against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, following recovery from a shoulder blade fracture sustained in his first training session. This period has been challenging for Merino, who joined from Real Sociedad for £31.6m at the end of August, and there was a mix of joy and relief when he came on as a 64th-minute substitute, partnering with Declan Rice. His early impressions of his new club, particularly the intensity and meticulousness of the training, mirror Rice's sentiments after his move from West Ham last summer. Rice admitted he thought he understood the game but "when you meet managers like Mikel [Arteta], you realise you don’t really know anything." Merino has had a similar revelation, despite mostly observing from the sidelines due to his injury. This misfortune may have provided him with a unique viewpoint.
"It's truly amazing," Merino said. "They employ methods I've never encountered in my career. These are entirely new to me, so adaptation takes time. However, when you grasp it, you reach a different level because they challenge you daily—not just physically but mentally. This sharpens your mental acuity, which is crucial in games.
I won't divulge everything we do, but there's no downtime between activities. They constantly challenge you mentally with various stimuli, keeping you aware of your surroundings."
Merino arrived at Arsenal as a Euro 2024 champion, with his defining moment being the 119th-minute headed winner against Germany in the quarter-final. However, his progress was abruptly halted by a freak collision with Gabriel Magalhães. According to Arteta, Merino landed and Gabriel fell on top of him.
"It was an incredibly unlucky moment," Merino said. "I've never seen an injury like this in my career. It wasn't ideal timing, but I prefer to focus on the positives. This period allowed me to reflect, get to know my teammates and staff, and work on myself—tactically and physically. I believe I'm a much better player now than I was four weeks ago.
It was mentally tough. You want to start with a few good days to demonstrate your capabilities and why the club has faith in you, but the first thing that happens is you break your scapula. However, everyone at the club was incredibly supportive, and I can finally say I'm officially an Arsenal player now! I've made my debut and I'm thrilled."
Merino's English is fluent, a result of his time at Newcastle in 2017-18. Although his playing time was limited, it fostered a fighting spirit that appealed to Arsenal. At 6ft 2in, he is imposing and possesses a "streak," as football people say.
"I am who I am because of the Premier League: it made me tougher, stronger, and taught me to endure," he told the Guardian in 2021.
It will be intriguing to see how Arteta utilizes Merino, who played more as a No 8 for Real Sociedad, with Martín Zubimendi as the No 6. Arsenal and Liverpool both sought to sign Zubimendi last year. Arteta now views Rice as a No 8, a role England caretaker manager Lee Carsley assigned him during the September internationals against Republic of Ireland and Finland.
In the absence of the injured Martin Ødegaard, Arteta has deployed a box formation with two central midfielders behind mobile central attackers—Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard. Merino and Rice might complement each other, alternating between holding and pushing up. Their roles may not be static.
"I want to grow and learn even more," Merino said. "When I discussed the plan with Mikel—not just for me but for the entire team and the culture—I felt this was the right place to take the next step in my career.
The mentality here is exceptional, both on the pitch and at the training ground—how they focus on the small details, the basics. Winning trophies is the ultimate goal for everyone. They are obsessed with that."
