Merino's father hints at La Liga return as Arsenal starter drought fuels Atletico interest

Mikel Merino’s lack of starts at Arsenal is fuelling speculation over his future at the Emirates, with his father publicly acknowledging the possibility of a return to Spain and Atletico Madrid said to be monitoring the situation.

The 28-year-old — signed from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2024 for just under £32 million — has started only once in the Premier League this season, averaging 49.9 minutes per appearance over the past 18 months. Spanish outlet La Razon, citing Sport Witness, reports that Atletico Madrid are interested in signing Merino on loan with an option to buy. His contract at Arsenal runs until 2028, meaning the club would enter the final year of his deal in the summer of 2026 if no action is taken.

Merino’s father, Angel Miguel, addressed the prospect of a move to La Liga directly. “If he comes to La Liga, well, I suppose he’ll want to continue in that rhythm of competing in the Champions League and keeping that motivation,” he said. “But obviously he’s in a comfortable situation there at Arsenal, isn’t he? Because he’s experiencing exactly what he wanted when he left Real Sociedad.”

Adding urgency to the situation, Merino is targeting a place in Spain’s squad for Euro 2028, and consistent club minutes are likely to be essential to retaining his spot under Luis de la Fuente.

Despite the limited game time, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been effusive in his praise for the midfielder. “He’s unbelievable,” Arteta said. “First of all, he’s one of the most intelligent players that I’ve seen and I’ve worked with. The personality is just full of… he just wants to give for everybody. He thinks about everything, he thinks about everybody.”

Arteta also highlighted Merino’s technical qualities: “He has qualities that are unique in football and in our team — his capacity to arrive in the box, his ability to occupy different places, to play in different positions, to link play with people. And as a midfielder, the ability he has to score goals is a different one.”

Merino has contributed 16 goals and eight assists under Arteta and demonstrated his versatility during the 2024-25 season, when an injury crisis among Arsenal’s forwards saw him deployed as an emergency centre-forward. His importance to the squad is not in question — but with his playing time so restricted, a January or summer departure is increasingly difficult to rule out.