The left side of the midfield has been a slight sticking point in Arsenal’s build-up across the past calendar year, particularly since Granit Xhaka left last July to join Bayer Leverkusen.
The original idea of playing Kai Havertz, signed from Chelsea in that same window, as the left-sided No 8 did not quite bring the fluid ball progression that it promised on paper.
Moving Declan Rice, another bought in the summer of 2023, into that box-to-box role has proven to be an effective solution. But this system places a lot of strain on the three starting midfielders to perform at a consistently high level as the games stack up and the pressure mounts during the run-in.
Mikel Merino’s arrival would help to lessen the burden, a dependable figure who has averaged over 40 appearances per season across his six years with Real Sociedad. He is comfortable playing in that left half-space, where Xhaka used to reside, although he is more of a box-to-box athlete than a tempo-setter from deep.
Additional reporting: Jordan Campbell
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What Mikel Merino would bring to Arsenal: Athleticism, defensive duels and back-post runs
