Mikel Merino joined Newcastle United this summer from Borussia Dortmund.
In a summer full of frustration for Rafael Benitez, the Spaniard has been able to sign only six players despite being given promises of funds for transfer by owner Mike Ashley.
Of the six players, Mikel Merino, a loan signing from Borussia Dortmund, was surely a low-key addition. But, after seven games he is proving to be a cracker of a signing by the former Liverpool manager.
Merino has a clause in his deal where Newcastle could sign him permanently for a measly fee of £6.5 million (surely, it means nothing taking into account Premier League club’s spending power), and based on what we have seen the Magpies will definitely try that option. The deal is already turning out to be a master-stroke from Benitez.
An opening day send-off for Jonjo Shelvey paved the way for the 21-year-old into the first team picture, and since then he hasn’t looked back. He has adapted to the pace of the Premier League so quickly, and is playing with so much confidence.
Defensive midfield is the one position that has undergone a massive evolution in the modern-day football. Some midfielders can only make tackles, some are deep lying playmakers, some are midfield metronomes, while there are other groups of players who can do everything in bits and parts.
Merino belongs to the last category. With 3.3 tackles and 1.9 interceptions in the Premier League, according to whoscored.com, he is arguably a brilliant ball-winning midfielder.
His 1.7 dribbles and a healthy 75.9% passing accuracy (of which 35.8 are forward passes), shows his forward-thinking approach.
But, where has really made a strong impression is his ability to win back possessions (8 times) and initiate a counter-attack / transition play.
Florian Lejeune has been injured and has played only 34 minutes of Premier League football. Jacob Murphy has struggled since making move from Norwich City.
The likes of Joselu, Javier Manquillo, and Christian Atsu have impressed, especially the two Spaniards, but Merino adds an extra bit of quality in the midfield. He is a top talent.
Let us know who you think is Newcastle’s best summer signing so far.
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