Mikel Merino has started only once in the Premier League this season, and the limited role under Mikel Arteta has fuelled speculation over his Arsenal future. Spanish outlet La Razon, via Sport Witness, reports that Atletico Madrid are interested in signing the midfielder on loan with an option to buy.
Limited minutes at the Emirates
Merino has averaged 49.9 minutes per appearance over the past 18 months, despite a habit of making an impact whether starting or coming off the bench. His contract runs until the summer of 2028, meaning Arsenal would enter the final year of his deal next summer.
Father discusses a return to Spain
His father, Angel Miguel, recently addressed the prospect of a return to La Liga. He said: "If he comes to La Liga, well, I suppose he’ll want to continue in that rhythm of competing in the Champions League and keeping that motivation, but obviously he’s in a comfortable situation there at Arsenal, isn’t he? Because he’s experiencing exactly what he wanted when he left Real Sociedad."
Merino is keen to represent Spain at Euro 2028, and regular club football could be crucial to retaining his place in Luis de la Fuente's squad, increasing the prospects of a transfer.
Arteta remains an admirer
Despite the limited game time, Arteta remains a firm admirer of the midfielder. "He's unbelievable," the Arsenal boss said. "First of all, he's one of the most intelligent players that I've seen and I've worked with. Then the personality is just full of… I don't know, he just wants to give for everybody. He thinks about everything, he thinks about everybody."
He added: "He has qualities that are unique in football and in our team, his capacity to arrive in the box, he's capable of occupying different places, to play in different positions, to link play with people. And as a midfielder, the ability that he has to score goals like tonight is a different one that we've seen lately, but another incredible one."
Goals and versatility
Merino joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in 2024 in a deal worth just under £32million and has 16 goals and eight assists under Arteta. His versatility proved valuable in the 2024/25 season, when a striker injury crisis led to the Spaniard being deployed as an emergency No.9.
