Mikel Arteta welcomes his namesake as 'Winner' Mikel Merino joins Arsenal

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praises on new signing Mikel Merino, who joined the Gunners on Tuesday (August 27).

Merino, who won the Euro 2024 with Spain, has been roped in by the North London club on a long term deal.

The Real Sociedad midfielder was on Arsenal's radar for a long time and was linked with a move to the club throughout the summer. After a long negotiation process, the Gunners have finally managed to land the player at the club.

And after getting the player, the Arsenal boss Arteta believes the new player will make the Gunners significantly stronger in the upcoming season.

"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," Arteta said to the official Arsenal website.

"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," he added.

The 28-year-old has a taste of the Premier League after playing for Newcastle United previously for a season. He is making the switch to the London club from Real Sociedad after spending six seasons with the Basque club.

The Gunners manager introduced the Spaniard to his teammates. Merino is set to be available for Arsenal in the upcoming Premier League match on Saturday against Brighton.