'You'll see': Mikel Arteta says Arsenal have a truly 'unbelievable' talent in their ranks who's set to explode
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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been putting his players through their paces ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting with Leicester City.
The Gunners are in fine form at present and remain unbeaten this season, setting up good foundations for the coming weeks and months.
Arsenal won the North London derby before picking up a point at Atalanta in the Champions League and then drawing at Premier League title rivals Manchester City.
The Gunners are also through to the fourth round of the League Cup after making light work of Bolton Wanderers in midweek.
Arteta spoke to the press ahead of Saturday’s 3pm kick-off at the Emirates Stadium, and shared some exciting team news.
Although David Raya remains a doubt, Ben White and Jurrien Timber have returned to training, and Arteta was also able to share some news about Mikel Merino.
Mikel Arteta says Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino is raring to go
Merino is yet to make his competitive debut for Arsenal following his move from Real Sociedad for a fee reported to be around £32million.
The Spaniard injured his shoulder last month in his very first training session for the Gunners and has been out since then.
However, Arteta has now told reporters – as per football.london – that Merino is back in partial training and looks raring to go.
Although the Leicester game comes too soon for the 28-year-old, he has been working hard in training and Arsenal have had to hold him back.
“Tomorrow is too soon,” said Arteta. “Next week we'll see. He had partial training today. He's been working so hard.
“It's looking good. It's about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact basically.”
Arteta went on to say: “We are trying to keep him in the cage, because he's been pushing everyone – the physios, the doctors, everybody – and he's ready to go, and he really wants it.
“I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him with contact, and he looked really good in training.”
Merino will be a ‘big, big threat’ for Arsenal
When asked what Merino would bring to Arsenal, Arteta said: “He's going to bring first an unbelievable football brain.
“He's so intelligent, the way he decides, he occupies spaces, he makes decisions. It's very rare to see that.
“And he's a very talented player, in every phase – defending, attacking. He can do things that complement really well the quality we have in midfield.
“Physicality, for sure, and then he's a big threat. The moment that he's in the opponent's box, you'll see that he's a big, big threat.”
READ MORE: Chris Sutton predicts who'll win between Arsenal and Leicester
What else has been said about Merino’s style of play?
Everyone in the football world is aware just how "spectacular" and "world-class" Merino is, having helped Spain to Euro 2024 glory.
The 28-year-old also has silverware with Sociedad and with Borussia Dortmund, so clearly he knows what it takes to win trophies.
In terms of his style of play, The Guardian recently published an article describing Merino as the 'type of midfielder Arteta would create in a lab if given the chance.'
They continued: ‘He is press-resistant, creative, combative and, above all, a duel-winning machine.
‘Merino won more aerial duels (168) than any other midfielder in Europe's top five leagues last season.
‘Like Rice, who Arsenal paid around £105m for last summer, Merino is an impressively complete midfielder.
‘He can step forward as a No 8 and lead the press, as the Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard often does, but he can also defend deep as a No 6 when required, whether that be alongside another player or on his own.
‘Merino even has experience of playing alongside Odegaard: they were in the Real Sociedad team that won the Copa del Rey in 2020. Merino was the man of the match in the final.’
