£100m star able to reject Man Metropolis to signal for Arsenal

For Mikel Merino, the 2025/26 season was a tricky one. Arsenal might properly have received the Premier League title however the Spaniard was unable to play a lot of an element in that success.

The Spaniard suffered a stress fracture in his foot in January and whereas he returned in time for the ultimate few weeks of the season, he has not began a single sport of soccer in 2026.

Nonetheless, he’s now again with a vengeance, lighting up the World Cup, scoring late winners in opposition to Portugal and Belgium in successive video games.

For many who have turn into acustomed to watching Merino lately, that can come as no shock.

How Merino has turn into the the last word big-game participant

Merino’s rise to stardom has been fairly the story.

The midfielder was offered by Newcastle for simply £10m again in 2018, becoming a member of Actual Sociedad. He loved six fantastic years in San Sebastian earlier than signing for Arsenal in a deal price round £32m.

That charge has turn into one thing of a discount. Initially signed as a midfielder. the Spain worldwide has shortly turn into some of the menacing goalscorers in Europe. Each time you’re in want of a magic second, simply name Merino.

He has been the savour on so many events, notably starring as a centre-forward in Arsenal’s time of want throughout 2024/25.

With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured in the beginning of 2025, Merino grew to become a makeshift striker and carried out remarkably properly. That well-known brace in opposition to Leicester Metropolis kicked all of it off, with the 30-year-old scoring six targets in 12 video games as a quantity 9.

In complete, he has netted ten targets and equipped six assists in 23 video games as a striker. It is a exceptional report and one made all the higher whenever you take a look at his share of sport altering targets.

Ten of Merino’s 11 Premier League targets (91%) might be categorised as sport state altering strikes. What does that imply? Effectively, they go down as opening targets in a match, an equalising objective or targets which give his staff the lead.

For those who thought the departing Leandro Trossard was clutch then his teammate is on one other stage fully. It is simply exceptional the regularity with which he pops up whenever you want him most.

That mentioned, simply how a lot soccer will Merino obtain subsequent season? Arsenal are attempting laborious to signal a brand new midfielder.

Arsenal making an attempt to signal one other big-game star

Midfield is a key precedence for the Gunners this summer time and that would properly characterize unhealthy information for Merino who’s prone to face elevated competitors for minutes.

He may very well be joined by Bournemouth’s Alex Scott or Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi. Nonetheless, proper now, the main goal is Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes.

Arsenal need the participant and he needs them. Sadly, the Toon are set to demand £100m for the Brazilian, the identical charge they offered Sandro Tonali to Spurs for.

That is in line with TEAMtalk who additionally observe that Manchester Metropolis have an interest within the participant and have been knowledgeable that he’s looking for an exit from St James’ Park.

Nonetheless, Arsenal are his most well-liked vacation spot and if each groups got here to the desk, it’s possible he would select the Premier League champions as a substitute.

The captain of Newcastle and 29 in November, Guimaraes would supply the identical kind of expertise and management/mentoring abilities as Merino has given Arsenal lately.

It simply so occurs that the Brazilian is slightly clutch himself. He is the definition of a big-game participant, somebody who at all times turns up in opposition to the highest sides, somebody who relishes enjoying in entrance of the TV cameras.

Throughout a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace again in January, a sport that was determined by two targets after the seventieth minute, Bruno opened the scoring after which performed a significant hand within the second. Eddie Howe saluted him by saying: “He performed a captain’s position as a result of that sport was at all times going to be determined by very key moments within the sport and he is give you a giant one for us, and he is carried out it numerous instances.”

In the identical week, Guimaraes went onto rating a stoppage time equaliser from the penalty spot in a 4-3 win in opposition to Leeds. Final time period, he additionally scored in opposition to each Liverpool and Tottenham and in years passed by, he is had a behavior for being the person who pops up when it issues most.

Fulham, particularly, should be sick of the sight of him. In 2024, he scored an 81st minute winner after which in 2025, it was a Ninetieth-minute winner to seperate the 2 groups courtesy of the Brazilian famous person. The 28-year-old has even popped up for his nation in a significant second. He was the person who equipped the help for Gabriel Martinelli’s last-gasp profitable objective in opposition to Japan within the final 32.

The actual fact is that if Arsenal are to provide Merino extra of a lowered position subsequent season then discovering somebody as equally as clutch within the large moments will likely be key. Guimaraes is that man.