Newcastle have signed midfielder Mikel Merino, and we take a look at how the Magpies could line up with the Spaniard.
The Spain U-21 international played just 293 minutes in the Bundesliga and understandably was frustrated with the lack of action at the Westfalenstadion. Despite playing as a box-to-box midfielder for most of his young career, Thomas Tuchel decided to play the Spaniard in an unfamiliar centerback role where he struggled to make his mark.
Which brings us to the question, where could the 21-year-old fit into the Magpies starting lineup? There is no doubt regarding that Mikel Merino sees himself as a midfielder, although he has the physical attributes to be a centerback (he is 6 ft 3 inches).
With Ciaran Clark at his disposal, Rafa Benitez is most likely looking to play the left-footed Spaniard in his favourable midfield role. His ability on the ball was evident in his time with Osasuna, and he would most likely play a defensive role beside Jono Shelvey if Newcastle decide to continue with a 4-4-1-1 formation they played last year in the Championship.
If Rafa Benitez does decide to mix it up and crowd the midfield against the better teams in the League, he could be an ideal candidate to play a box-to-box role with another midfielder. Given his physical attributes, and his general willingness to carry the ball, that is perhaps where he will the most effective for the Magpies.
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