[Photos] Mikel Merino poses in Arsenal shirt after completing £31m move

Mikel Merino has been posing in an Arsenal shirt after completing his £31m move from Real Sociedad today. 

The 28-year-old has been strongly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer after Mikel Arteta identified the midfielder as the man to add some much needed strength and depth in the middle of the park.

After protracted negotiations with Sociedad, a deal was agreed between the two clubs and Merino was given permission to undergo his medical with the Gunners after agreeing personal terms.

The formalities have now been finalised and Arsenal announced on Arsenal.com on Tuesday afternoon that Merino has joined the club on a long-term contract.

Sky Sports News reports that the midfielder has penned a four year deal with the option of another year, while Arsenal have paid Sociedad £27.4m with a further £4.2m in potential add-ons, meaning the deal could be worth a total of £31.6m.

The Gunners have also revealed that Merino will wear the No.23 shirt during his time in North London and is eligible to make his debut when Brighton visit the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

All smiles

Merino has been posing in his new Arsenal kit, and even recreated some photos of him as a child wearing the famous Red & White, so it’s clear he was a boyhood Gunners fan.

After completing the move to sign his third signing of the summer, Arteta expressed his delight at securing the services of Merino. The boss told Arsenal.com:

“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.

“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.”

Merino caught the eye of Arsenal after starring for Sociedad in recent years while he also played a key role in helping Spain win the Euro’s this summer, scoring the winner against Germany in the quarter-finals.

Since joining Sociedad in 2028, Merino has scored 27 and assisted 30 times in 242 games, and his physical style of play will add a new dimension to Arsenal’s already impressive midfield.

Merino already has experience playing in the Premier League following a stint at Newcastle United before his move to Sociedad, so he shouldn’t take long to get up to speed now he’s back in England.

Here are some more photos of Merino in his new Arsenal kit courtesy of Arsenal.com: