Why Arsenal want to break transfer mould to sign Mikel Merino and solve key midfield question

Arsenal kicked off their latest title bid with a fairly routine win over Wolves, but even so there were some areas of concern for Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners have developed into a formidable side over the past year and that is especially the case in defence, where they barely give their opponents a sniff.

But Wolves had some joy going forward and David Raya was forced to make big saves in either half to ensure Arsenal kicked off their season with a 2-0 win on Saturday.

Arsenal are usually so assured in possession, but they were occasionally sloppy on the ball and Thomas Partey was one of those players at fault.

There were flashes of brilliance in his performance, in particular when he received the ball on the half-turn in front of the Arsenal defence. But there were also worrying lapses in concentration. Partey completed 33 of his 37 passes but three times gave the ball away inside his own half.

To make matters worse, those were during a 19-minute period in the middle of the second half when Wolves were starting to believe they could snatch an equaliser before Bukayo Saka put the game to bed by scoring a second goal.

“We had certain problems, especially in the second half with certain giveaways,” said Arteta, when asked about Partey’s performance.

“It’s part of the game as well, and things that we can do better to be more consistent, and have more security, more purpose and dominate the game better. We will get better.”

The base of the midfield is an area that Arsenal need to address in the long-term, given Partey is 31, Jorginho is 32 and both players only have one year left on their contracts.

It is why the signing of Mikel Merino could prove to be a vital one for the Gunners, even if he would not be direct competition for Jorginho and Partey.

Merino would most likely play as a No8, alongside Martin Odegaard, which would allow Declan Rice to drop to the base of midfield. That is where Rice started for Arsenal last season before being pushed forward and impressing in an advanced role.

Rice started further forward against Wolves and once again he did well, but the arrival of Merino could see him pushed back.

There is a debate about where Rice’s best position is, but he is relaxed about the situation and comfortable playing as No6 or further forward.

Merino could compliment him well given he too is capable of playing deeper or further forward, and it is easy to see a world where the two dovetail during matches.

The pair are physically similar, both standing at 6ft 2in and with the athleticism to make an impact in both boxes.

Merino, in particular, is a real threat due to his ability to ghost into the penalty area unmarked and he showcased that at Euro 2024 with his winning goal for Spain against Germany in the quarter-finals.

The 28-year-old would not be a typical signing by Arsenal - who have more recently looked to younger players with room to develop - but it is easy to see why he would be a good fit.

Arsenal’s midfield needs balance and Merino can offer that.