January 28th 2025.
Former Liverpool player, Jamie Carragher, recently expressed his criticism towards Mikel Arteta's decision to sign Mikel Merino for Arsenal. However, Arteta, who is the current manager of the club, has come to the defense of his £32 million signing.
Merino joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad last summer, signing a four-year contract. Despite the hefty price tag, the 28-year-old has only started in one-third of the team's Premier League games this season. This has led Carragher to question Arteta's choice of prioritizing Merino over another attacker during the transfer window.
In a column for The Telegraph, Carragher wrote, "Prioritizing signing midfielder Mikel Merino ahead of another attacker last summer looks like a mistake. Merino is not a game-changer." He also shared his doubts about how the Spaniard would fit into the team, saying, "I wasn't quite sure why or where he would fit in or play."
However, Arteta has a different perspective on the matter. He believes that Merino has been showing some promising signs in recent weeks and has been unlucky with injuries since joining Arsenal. Although he missed their recent win over Wolves due to a minor injury, Merino has returned to training and is available for their upcoming game against Manchester City.
Speaking at a press conference, Arteta praised Merino's character and determination, saying, "He's so determined and now he has some rhythm, some momentum and has had some very good moments in the last few weeks with us." He also acknowledged the challenges of playing every two and a half days and the impact it can have on a player's availability.
Despite the criticism, Arteta stands by his decision to sign Merino and is confident in his abilities. The midfielder will have the opportunity to prove himself once again as Arsenal takes on Girona in their final Champions League group game. Currently, they are third in the group and need a win to secure their spot in the next round.
Arteta acknowledges the strength of their opponents and knows that it will take a strong performance from his team to secure a victory. He said, "We're here to win the game and in order to do that we're going to have to be better than them." He also praised Girona for their performances against top opposition in the Champions League.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their qualification, Arteta remains determined to achieve their goal and is confident in his team's abilities. As for Carragher's criticism, only time will tell if Merino truly is a mistake or a valuable addition to the Arsenal squad.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
