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Mikel Arteta really impressed by £21m midfielder’s physicality and would like to sign him for Arsenal

Lucas Arnold

Tue 9 July 2024 11:35, UK

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admires the ‘talent and physicality’ of one midfielder who he’d like the club to sign this summer.

It’s no secret that Arteta wants to add a versatile midfielder to his squad to play alongside Declan Rice next season.

Thomas Partey’s Arsenal future seems uncertain and Jorginho is now 32-years-old, a༺ player better-suited to a squad role.

Therefore, given that Mohamed Elꦉneny has also left, Arsenal’s midfield is looking a little light, perhaps even now considered a weak area of the squad.

At one point it did seem as if Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi could be A♐rsenal’s number one target in that regard this summer.

However, Zubimendi has quashed links to Arsenal, seemingly d📖etermined to r𓂃emain at his boyhood club where he’s very content.

That being said, Zubimendi’s teammate, Mikel Merino, who is also at Euro 2024 with Spain, has emerg🎃ed as an alternative, a pꦯlayer Arteta absolutely loves.

Merino caugh🌠t the world’s attention with his winning-header against Germany in the quarter-finals, but it seems he’s had Arsenal’s eye for some time now.

Mikel Arteta could repeat Leandro Trossard trick by signing Mikel Merino for Arsenal

According to a report by , Arteta is a firm admirer of the former Newcastle United player, who is now excelling in Spඣain at 28-years-old.

Arteta has been impressed by Merino’s ‘talent and physicality’, a player ཧwho could emerge as a surprise target for Arsenal.

Signing Merino would be a surprise for Arsenal this summer in re𝔍gards to his age – not fitti♕ng the typical profile that both Arteta and Edu have targeted of late.

Take Riccardo Calafiori for example, a 22-year-old who will improve Arsenal’s squad immediately, but will need to fulfil some of his potential t🍰o become a regular starter.

But in Merino’s case, perhaps Arsenal have identified a player who can improve their 𒁏eleven immediately.

Arsenal added Jorginho and Leandro Trossard in recent years as older prof🤪iles ൲– moves that have been a success.

And perhaps £21m-rated Merino is intended to contribute in similar fashion, able to play as a number eight꧟ or a six.

That being said, Me🦹rino is slightly better suited to an offensive role, so perhaps his arrival would hint that Partey is set to stay for the last year of his contract in ꦓnorth London.

Aside from Merino, it now seems as if Arteta intend𒀰s to play Calafiori in an entirely new role at Arsenal.