Arsenal’s only signing of the summer transfer window so far has been Riccardo Calafiori. The Gunners don’t have many holes in their team and are only looking to fill in the pieces that could help them take the next step towards the Premier League and an unprecedented Champions League.
Calafiori is as good as a signing can get this transfer window. The Italian defender is currently at the top of the world. He has a unique profile due to his ball-carrying ability, a trait that Thiago Motta milked to the fullest at Bologna last season. Arteta certainly has a promising player to work within his ranks.
Mikel Merino prefers London & Arsenal over Barcelona!
One other player that Arsenal are closing in on this summer is Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino. Luis de la Fuente used him exceptionally well as a super-sub in the recently concluded European Championship in which Spain fans will forever remember his last-minute goal against Germany in the quarterfinals.
Barcelona were extremely interested in signing the 28-year-old who is available on a bargain this summer, with his contract expiring next summer. It is not often that a Premier League club manage to beat the Catalan giants to a technically proficient Spanish midfielder but the Gunners are on course to do that.
“When I lose a duel, I’m upset!”
So, what can Arsenal fans expect from Merino? Well, for starters, being Spanish, he is excellent with the ball at his feet. He often arrives late into the box to finish off chances. Defensively, he is very aware and his elite positioning and reading of the game helps him break up opposition attacks.
However, the aspect of the game that Merino stands out in is his aerial prowess, as evidenced by the goal he scored for Spain against Germany. The Real Sociedad midfielder is an aerial monster. At 1.88m, he is quite tall when compared to the diminutive midfielders that Spain usually produce and he has made the most out of his ability in his career.
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As per stats from WhoScored, Merino ranked first in aerial wins for midfielders in all clubs across Europe’s top 5 leagues. He had a clear lead at the top with more than 50+ wins as compared to Thomas Soucek and Kai Havertz (who should ideally not be considered a midfielder).
The 28-year-old had more aerial wins than physically dominant defenders like Virgil van Dijk and Ethan Pinnock, further indicating this reputation. Even compared to Arsenal players, per 90 mins, he had more wins than Saliba, Gabriel and White combined.
Numbers indicate that in Merino, Arsenal are set to sign an aerial monster. He would be a handful for the opposition in both penalty boxes. These numbers might come down slightly in a different style at Arsenal but this is some serious ability that the Spaniard possesses. Let’s hope we get this signing done soon.
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Merino was the #1 midfielder for aerial wins in Europe's Top-5
He had 50+ more wins than Souček, Havertz, etc
He had more aerial wins than Van Dijk, Pinnock, etc
Per 90, he had more than Gabriel, Saliba, White … combined
(@billycarpy / @WhoScored ) pic.twitter.com/3mjDWy0YPa
— Doc (@karthikadhaigal) August 4, 2024
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