Mikel Merino's decision to join Arsenal rather than Real Madrid has been addressed by his father, who insisted the move was driven by ambition rather than any slight against the Spanish giants.
Merino completed his switch to Arsenal from Real Sociedad in August 2024, in a deal worth up to £31.6million. The transfer marked a return to English football for the midfielder, who had previously spent a season on loan at Newcastle United from Borussia Dortmund before the Magpies were required to make the move permanent.
Now 30 years old, Merino has established himself as an important figure under Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium following his time in San Sebastian. He has made 85 appearances for the Gunners, contributing 16 goals, and already has a Premier League winners' medal to show for his efforts in north London.
Despite being linked with a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu, Merino ultimately opted for Arsenal, and his father Miguel has now shed light on the thinking behind that choice. Speaking to Goles con Parrado, he dismissed the idea that the decision was solely about Real Madrid.
"Well, look, it's not just about Real Madrid," Miguel Merino said. "I think he's a player who's at Arsenal and has won the Premier League, has reached the Champions League final, he got to the semi-finals last year. He's part of a world class squad, so he's a world class player."
He also acknowledged that Real Madrid's recruitment approach may have played a part in the outcome. "Yes, well, but they opted for a different type of player for that position. So, it's a perfectly respectable decision, isn't it? The technical staff or the managers at Real Madrid sometimes go for one profile or another."
The comments come after Spanish journalist Tomas Roncero criticised Merino's reduced playing time at Arsenal this season, going as far as to suggest that both the midfielder and his former Real Sociedad teammate Martin Zubimendi should be sent on loan to Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid during the January transfer window.
Merino's father further explained that his son's departure from Real Sociedad was always motivated by a desire to compete at the highest level. "Right now, he's at a club that's competing for everything. That's what he wanted when he left Real Sociedad," he said. "Mikel left with a heavy heart. He wanted to take a step up in his ambitions as a footballer, to be a regular in the Champions League and try to win the Premier League, which he's already achieved. He left Sociedad because he wanted to advance his career as a footballer, and now he's at a top club."
Looking ahead, Miguel Merino suggested that any future return to Spain would need to match the level of competition his son currently enjoys in England. "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 Sociedad."
Despite the glowing assessment of his situation, Merino has found opportunities harder to come by domestically this campaign, failing to start a single Premier League match for the champions. However, he has been trusted with starts in cup competitions, featuring from the beginning in Champions League and League Cup victories over Napoli and Ipswich Town respectively.
Based on reporting from standard-football.