In a recent report, Sport claimed that Barcelona are eager to land Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino this summer. It has been revealed that the Catalan club are keen on acquiring the services of the Spain international later this year.
Merino’s Impressive Form In La Liga Last Season
Merino put in a run of impressive performances at the heart of Real Sociedad’s midfield. The 28-year-old registered eight goals and secured five assists in 45 matches for the Spanish outfit last season across various competitions.
The Spanish talent was a good performer at both ends of the field as he averaged 2.4 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 1.7 clearances, 0.9 shots, 0.6 key passes and 0.8 dribbles per game in La Liga. He was even accurate with his ball distribution after completing 77.5% of his attempted passes in the top tier of Spanish football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Spanish club will expire at the end of next season which could make it difficult for Barcelona to sign him on the cheap in this transfer window.
Should Barcelona Boss Hansi Flick Bring Merino To The Nou Camp?
Merino is a good tackler of the ball and can time his challenges well to secure possession back for his team when defending inside his half. He usually clears his lines when the opposition are on the front foot and can even contribute by scoring and creating his fair share of goals up top.
We can expect Merino to add more quality and depth to Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick’s midfield department. He has what it takes to challenge for regular first-team football at the Catalan club in the coming years.
At 28, Merino is playing in his prime and could help Barca compete for some major silverware over the next few seasons. He already knows La Liga well by now and won’t take much time to settle into life at the Nou Camp if the Catalan club can manage to sign him this summer.
Merino recently helped his nation win the UEFA Euro 2024 trophy in Germany. He has got the experience and winning mindset to serve as a real asset in Flick’s match-day squad next season. Therefore, Barcelona should consider bringing Merino to the Nou Camp this off-season.
