Newcastle sign Mikel Merino on season-long loan deal
Thursday 3 August 2017 21:48, UK
Newcastle have completed the signing of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mikel Merino on a season-long loan deal.
The Spain U21 international, who played nine times for Dortmund last season, is Newcastle's fifth summer signing ahead of their return to the Premier League.
He arrives on the back of a run to the final of this summer's European U21 Championship in Poland.
"It feels good and I'm very happy to be here," Merino told the club website. "I'm looking forward to touching the ball, meeting my new team-mates and starting to play football.
"I know it's a great club and a really nice city. I had different options but I think this is the right place for me to play."
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Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez said: "Mikel is a midfielder with talent. He's a good size, has quality on the ball and he's very, very focused and professional.
"Hopefully he's the kind of player we can improve a lot - he certainly has the mentality to get better and better.
"He comes from a top side in Dortmund, and although he did not play too much last season he was signed [from Osasuna] as a young, talented player. To be signed by a club like that shows he has something good."
