Newcastle United has seen its fair share of players come and go, many of them arrive and depart with little fanfare, but there are some that grab the hearts of the Geordie country in the shortest of time at the club.
Mikel Merino, a Spanish international, undoubtedly comes into the latter category, having arrived at Newcastle from Borussia Dortmund on loan in 2017 before making the move permanent due to an obligation in the contract that was triggered after a set number of appearances.
Despite a back injury, Merino went on to make 25 appearances, scoring once and contributing one assist before returning to his native Spain with Real Sociedad the following summer, where he has remained since.
Despite his limited stay with the club, Newcastle fans recognized that we had a real player on our hands and were excited to see him flourish in the black and white.
🚨 Mikel Merino could leave Real Sociedad this summer, having only one year left on his contract! 👀🇪🇸
The Spaniard is courting interest from Juventus and clubs in Spain and England.
(Source: @relevo) pic.twitter.com/V7Ea2aHgyj
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) March 21, 2024
Mikel Merino asked to leave Newcastle due to feeling homesick
The then-21-year-old midfielder requested to leave the club, citing homesickness as the main cause, and Newcastle lost a wonderful young player.
Merino went on to be a major success at Sociedad, as he played 234 games and scored 34 goals while also contributing 30 assists. He also played with Newcastle striker Alexander Isak prior to his £63 million move to Tyneside.
However, it appears that the 27-year-old is searching for his next challenge and may leave the Spanish club in the summer, with Juventus and undisclosed Premier League sides expressing interest.
We all want the Merino-Isak reunion
Many admirers expressed the same thing when they saw the post on X last night: “Bring him home”.
Six years after leaving the Magpies, the Toon Army would welcome him back with open arms, and with his Real Sociedad contract ending, he might be available at a reasonable fee, with the club preferring to cash in this year rather than losing him for nothing next summer.
We’d love to see Merino return and team up with Isak again. Now that he’s at his prime, we’ll get the absolute best out of him, and he’ll be able to carry on the legacy that Rafa Benitez left behind throughout his rule.
