Gunners sign Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino

Arsenal sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad in £27.4m deal that could rise to £31.6m with add ons

Spain international Mikel Merino has joined Arsenal from La Liga side Real Sociedad on a four year contract. 

The talented 28-year-old won a Euro 2024 winners medal as part of the Spain squad that beat England in the final in Berlin, coming on for Nico Williams late on. 

Mikel Arteta added: “Mikel is a player who will bring us huge quality with his experience and versatility. He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now.

"Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality.“

"As we all saw in the summer, Mikel is also a winner, with his strong performances throughout the Euros helping Spain win the tournament.

"We are delighted to welcome Mikel and his family to the club and can’t wait to start working with him.”

Mikel will wear the number 23 shirt and will immediately join up with his new teammates at London Colney ahead of Saturday's clash with Brighton at the Emirates.

The 28-year-old midfielder made 242 appearances for the Basque side, scoring 27 goals and assisting 30 times.

Born in Pamplona, Spain, Mikel started his career with Osasuna and progressed through their academy into the first team, where he made 67 appearances and scored eight goals.

In July 2016, he joined Borussia Dortmund and helped them win the German Cup the following May.

He joined Newcastle in the summer of 2017 on loan before the deal was later made permanent.

After a bright start, a back injury interrupted his time on Tyneside and limited him to just 25 appearances at St James’ Park under Rafa Benitez.

Mikel returned to north-east Spain with Real Sociedad in 2018 and would spend six seasons in San Sebastian - Mikel Arteta’s home town - helping to establish them as a top-six side in La Liga.

A Copa del Rey success in 2020 was the club’s first major trophy since 1982, as they beat local rivals Atletico Madrid in the final, when Mikel was named man of the match.

He also guided them into the Champions League courtesy of a fourth-place finish in 2022-23 that saw Merino named in the Team of the Season.

In 2023-24 during his side’s push for a Champions League place, Mikel laid on nine goals for his teammates to hit a new personal high, and last season he chipped in with an impressive eight goals - two more than he’d ever netted in a single season.

Mikel is the son of Miguel Merino, who played nearly 300 times in La Liga for Osasuna and Celta Viga during the 1980s and 1990s,