It’s safe to say that Mike Merino’s first season at Arsenal has gone in a different direction than the midfielder would have first anticipated.
Mikel Arteta welcomed Merino to Arsenal as his latest attempt to replace Granit Xhaka on the left side of his midfield.
However, after untimely injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, Arteta has trusted Merino in an auxiliary striker role – one he’d never played before in his professional career.
And since being given the chance as a number nine, Merino has really impressed – he’s no Alexander Isak but he’s certainly been effective.
Arteta pushed to sign Merino in the summer when others at the club had doubts, and his decision now looks well justified.
Luis de la Fuente explains why he’s been so impressed with Mikel Merino
That being said, Merino impressed as a striker for Spain scoring in their 2-2 draw with the Netherlands a few days ago.
And in addition to those efforts from the bench, the Arsenal man also shone as one of the heroes in Spain’s penalty shoot-out on Sunday evening following a 3-3 draw in the second leg of that tie with the Dutch.
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Following the game at his press conference, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente praised Merino profusely alongside his former Real Sociedad teammate Mikel Oyarzabal.
De la Fuente mentioned Merino’s versatility alongside his excellent attitude both on and off the field – an exciting verdict from an Arsenal perspective.
He said: “Great football players [Merino and Oyarzabal]. Exceptional football talent, team spirit, maturity, calmness, they bring a lot to the pitch because of their football talent, which is unquestionable.
“Two very versatile players who can play in different positions, always with very reliable performance.
“And besides, off the pitch, because they give that calmness, I repeat, that experience, that vision, that peace of mind.
“So, they always add something. They are football players who earn it every day at their clubs, and of course, when they come with us, their performances are absolutely brilliant.”
Spain’s media deliver their Mikel Merino review
Although Merino featured as a striker in the first leg against the Netherlands, he played a more typical role entering Sunday’s affair as a midfielder.
His efforts further underlined his versatility as mentioned, and Spain’s media did deliver strong praise for his minutes in extra-time.
Sport wrote: “The team was fading, and De la Fuente saw the need to bring in the physical strength of a Merino who is capable of defending and also threatening in attack.”
On their part, Mundo Deportivo concluded: “Accurate [display]. He took responsibility for taking the first penalty and he didn’t miss.”
Arteta praised Merino before he headed off with Spain for these games, and it’s clear why the 28-year-old is being lauded from all angles right now.
