Mikel Merino

Mikel Merino
Merino with Real Sociedad in 2018
Personal information
Full name Mikel Merino Zazón[1]
Date of birth (1996-06-22) 22 June 1996 (age 28)[2]
Place of birth Pamplona, Spain[2]
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Arsenal
Number 23
Youth career
Amigó
Osasuna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014 Osasuna B 5 (0)
2014–2016 Osasuna 63 (5)
2016–2017 Borussia Dortmund 8 (0)
2017Newcastle United (loan) 7 (0)
2017–2018 Newcastle United 17 (1)
2018–2024 Real Sociedad 190 (20)
2024– Arsenal 5 (1)
International career
2014–2015 Spain U19 12 (1)
2016–2019 Spain U21 20 (4)
2021 Spain Olympic 6 (1)
2020– Spain 31 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Championship
Winner 2024
UEFA Nations League
Winner 2023
Runner-up 2021
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Team
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Winner 2019
Runner-up 2017
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Winner 2015
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:27, 10 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:39, 15 November 2024 (UTC)

Mikel Merino Zazón (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmikel meˈɾino];[citation needed] born 22 June 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the Spain national team.

After starting out at Osasuna, he had short spells with Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United before signing for Real Sociedad in 2018. With the last of those clubs, he won the 2019–20 Copa del Rey and totalled 242 appearances and 27 goals.[4] In August 2024, he joined Arsenal.

Merino represented Spain in two European Under-21 Championships, winning the 2019 edition. He made his senior debut in 2020, being selected for Euro 2024 and winning the tournament.

  1. ^ "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Mikel Merino". Eurosport. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Mikel Merino". Premier League. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Mikel Merino abandona la Real Sociedad y firma con el Arsenal" [Mikel Merino leaves Real Sociedad and signs with Arsenal]. Infobae (in Spanish). 27 August 2024. Retrieved 27 August 2024.