‘Trophy-obsessed’ - Mikel Merino fires Newcastle United dig after making Arsenal debut
Mikel Merino insisted “winning trophies” is why he joined Arsenal - a feat he has rarely achieved at club level.
Former Newcastle United midfielder Merino only has a Copa del Rey with Real Sociedad to shout about at club level. On the international front, the Spaniard stacks up well, with Euro 2024 in his back pocket as well as last year’s Nations League.
The Magpies are at least partly to blame for Merino’s lack of silverware. Rafa Benitez signed the midfielder as a youngster in 2017, initially on loan before triggering a release clause within weeks.
He looked like a slick operator in the engine room before a back injury ruled him out for several months. When Merino returned, Newcastle were settled with Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden in midfield as Benitez stormed to a 10th-placed finish.
Rumours of Merino being homesick began to surface but, in truth, he enjoyed his time on Tyneside. Not enough, however, to turn down the chance to return home, with Sociedad triggering his £10million buyout clause.
It was at the La Liga club where Merino developed into a regular Spain international and Champions League performer. Now aged 28, he will spend his prime years in North London under Mikel Arteta.
Merino made his Gunners debut in their 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain and cited “trophies” as the motivation behind the move. He said: “For sure, that is something that helped me a lot to decide where I wanted to be.
“The mentality that they have here is amazing. Not only on the pitch but at the training ground and how they focus on the single things, the details, the basics. When I spoke to Mikel and saw what the plan was, not only with me but the whole team, what was the culture, I felt this was the right place to take the next step in my career.
“I want to grow up, I want to learn even more and I think this is the right place to keep improving and keep winning. Winning trophies is the main thing here for everybody. They are obsessed with that. You can see that winning is the main thing for us.”