The Arsenal star set a record at Newcastle lasting 17 months and was surpassed by Nicolas Pepe
Arsenal have a new dribbling champion on their hands: Mikel Merino.
The Spanish midfielder is close to a move to north London and has already given a taste of what he has to offer the Premier League since his rather quiet stay at Newcastle.
Arsenal He reached an agreement worth 32 million pounds to bring in the player from the Spanish club Real Sociedad.
Merino has already enjoyed some English football, having joined Newcastle United on a season-long loan deal from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017.
During that campaign, Merino did something memorable when in March 2018 successfully dribbled past Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk.
The achievement may not seem too remarkable, but it was a feat that no one managed to complete until 17 months after that day.
In August 2019, Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe successfully followed in Merino's footsteps and became the first player in Van Dijk's 50 appearances to dribble past the Dutchman.
Merino's loan to Newcastle became a permanent move during the 2017/18 season, however, he did not stay at St James' Park for long as Real Sociedad snapped him up and brought him back to Spain in the summer of 2018.
Having made just 25 appearances for Newcastle, the central midfielder has been a key man for Real Sociedad in the years since, making 242 appearances, scoring 27 goals and providing 30 assists.
It's that kind of record that made him a prime target for Arsenal.
With the Gunners challenging for the Premier League title this season, Mikel Arteta will hope the Spaniard will add crucial quality to his midfield ranks for the new campaign.
The midfielder enjoyed his best season last term, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in all competitions.
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And he continued his fine form at the European Championships, where he played a key role in helping Spain lift the trophy for a record fourth time.
Merino played in all seven of Spain's matches and scored the winning goal against host nation Germany in the quarter-finals in a thrilling 2-1 extra-time victory.
If he decides to move to the Emirates, Arsenal would have to spend almost £100m on three players this summer.
