The father of Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has commented on Real Madrid's past interest in his son. Miguel Merino also assessed the likelihood of his son returning to Spain in the future.
In 2024, the Spaniard made the move to Arsenal from Real Sociedad. Amid ongoing discussions about Real's lack of control in midfield following the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, the player's father explained why a switch to the Santiago Bernabeu never materialised.
Well, listen, it’s not just about Real. He’s part of a world-class team, so he’s a world-class player. They picked a different type of player for that position. It’s quite normal for the coaching staff or the hierarchy at Real to choose a certain profile sometimes.
When discussing the possibility of a return to La Liga after his contract with Arsenal expires, Miguel stressed that his son is currently very happy in England, but leaves the door open.
Right now, he’s at a club that’s fighting for every trophy. That’s what he wanted when he left Real Sociedad. If he comes back to La Liga, well, I suppose he will want to continue playing in the Champions League and maintaining that motivation. But, obviously, he’s comfortable at Arsenal because he’s getting exactly what he wanted.
