Mikel Merino

Merino's current-season form is level with last season (Season 22→22), while his Rating held around 45. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 54).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Arsenal · 2nd	1	0	0	6.9	45	22
2025/26	Arsenal · 1st	22	4	3	6.86	45	22
2024/25	Arsenal · 2nd	28	7	2	7.04	65	32
2023/24	Real Sociedad · 6th	32	5	3	7.18	74	54
2022/23	Real Sociedad · 4th	33	2	9	7.1	77	35

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 8 earlier seasons in the full career.

Spain · international

Side	Apps	G
Spain	49	12
Spain U23	5	1
Spain U21	16	1
Spain U19	8	1

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCreative Central midfielder

Mikel Merino is a 30-year-old central midfielder at Arsenal, rated 45.1 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (30.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.3 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Merino.

On the season, Merino graded 30 for current form (age-blind), on 4 goals, 3 assists and 3.304 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 22 → 22). Over the 7 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 45. At 30 Merino is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 29.9 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending downBreakout: 2023/24Injury-hit 2025/26

45.1

Ratingi

developing / rotation level

29.9

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

30.3%

Minutes

limited game time

3.3

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Arsenal finished 1st of 20 · a title-challenging side

Apps

3.3

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.3 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 22 appearances. Behind a title-challenging side (1st of 20) the side controls more games, so the defensive load is lighter — the value sits as much in composure and ball progression as in raw volume. Going forward he chipped in 4 goals and 3 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.61 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.
Pedigree. Performing in a top-tier setting (team strength 100/100).

Watch points

Game time. Only 30.3% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 45.1 overall — developing / rotation level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.3 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %30.3%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900.348

Assists / 900.261

Goal contribution / 900.609

Defensive actions / 903.304

Player flow

Goal involvements7

Cards / 900.087

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~60), then tapers with age. At 30, Merino sits on 29.9, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Merino's projected Rating — 45.1 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the Premier League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals4

Passing

Assists3

Defending

Tackles26

Interceptions10

Blocks2

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards1

Red cards0

Transfer history

€54.8M total transfer fees · 4 moves

ArsenalAug 2024 – now€ 32M

Real SociedadJul 2018 – Aug 2024€ 12M

NewcastleJan 2018 – Jul 2018€ 7M

Borussia DortmundJul 2016 – Jan 2018€ 3.8M

Osasunauntil Jul 2016

About Mikel Merino

Mikel Merino Zazón is a 30-year-old central midfielder who plays for Arsenal, born on June 22, 1996 in Pamplona, standing 189 cm tall. He is from Spain. Arsenal currently sit 2nd of 20 in the Premier League.

This season

In the current season, Mikel Merino has made 1 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 14 minutes, averaging a 7 match rating over his last 1 rated games.

Recent matches

August 21, 2026: 3-0 win at home vs Coventry (14 minutes, 7 rating)

Mikel Merino's next match is on August 31, 2026, when Arsenal face Aston Villa away in the Premier League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Mikel Merino at 45.1 with a Season form score of 29.9. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 14 career titles — among them the Emirates Cup and the UEFA European Championship. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 13 recorded seasons, Mikel Merino has totalled 333 club appearances with 40 goals and 29 assists for 5 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2015/16, with 38 appearances for Osasuna.

Mikel Merino's career has also included time at Real Sociedad, Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund and Osasuna.

On the international stage, Mikel Merino has represented Spain, Spain U23, Spain U21, Spain U19 — 78 caps and 15 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.