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Arsenal fans have reacted to the club agreeing on a deal to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The Spanish midfielder is set to sign a contract until 2028 for a reported €32 million and €5 million add-ons.
The Gunners were reportedly working on signing Merino since July after the Spaniard caught attention for his performance for Spain in Euro 2024. Merino was also keen on joining Arsenal, reported Romano.
Fans were mostly delighted to hear the news, as many took to X to react to the Gunners' new signing. Here are some of the reactions:
"WE ARE WINNING IT ALL," a user wrote.
"CLEAR OF RODRI," another person exclaimed.
"Arsenal will be Champions this season," a fan declared.
"Got a euros winner for only 32M insane bargain," another user added.
"Two Mikels = a premier league title," a Gunner mentioned.
"Mikel Arteta 🤝Mikel Merino Can't wait to see him on the field," an individual opined.
Meanwhile, fans of other PL clubs also joined in the banter about the new signing.
"He has decided to retire from winning trophies," an X user joked.
"They still won’t win any trophy this season," another fan quipped.
"This guy won’t start for Chelsea," a user commented.
"Mid player in my books," a person shared.
When Emmanuel Petit urged Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to sign French midfielder over Mikel Merino
Former Arsenal star Emmanuel Petit previously urged the club to sign French midfielder N'Golo Kante.
Speaking to Safest Casino Sites, Petit explained his concerns about Merino's transfer to the Emirates but considered him a good replacement for Granit Xhaka.
"I think Mikel Merino is a good replacement for him [Granit Xhaka], I watched him closely in the Euros and against PSG in the Champions League last season," Petit said.
"I can’t tell if he is a number eight or a holding midfielder, but that would be a good problem for Mikel Arteta to have. Merino could adapt to the Premier League like how Rodri has, but he could also struggle with the physicality," he added.
The former footballer added that players like Mikel Merino and Frenkie De Jong are primarily number eights. He believed the Gunners should try to bring back former Chelsea star N'Golo Kante in the Premier League. The Frenchman can play both as a holding midfielder and a number eight.
“If Arsenal want to bring a player who will be great competition for the midfielders, I don’t think it should be Merino or Frenkie de Jong because they’re primarily number eights. I think they hshould bring back N’Golo Kante to the Premier League. I want him to play for them, he would be so important to the side in terms of rotation," Petit said.
Despite Petit's observations, the north London side seemed to have sealed the deal to sign Mikel Merino. The Spaniard's breakthrough moment for Spain in Euro 2024 was scoring the winning goal against Germany in the quarter-final in extra time to help them win 2-1.
