Mikel Merino makes honest admission about life at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta

Mikel Merino has .

Despite a late summer window move and an unfortunate shoulder injury that delayed his debut, Merino is thoroughly impressed with life back in England. His first appearance came just before the October international break, as a substitute against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, followed by a half-hour stint at home to in the .

With Arteta juggling injuries, suspensions, and squad availability, Merino's absence was noticeable. However, remains unbeaten as it prepares to return to domestic action against Bournemouth this Saturday.

Merino is keen to continue his journey to full match fitness on the south coast, buoyed by two appearances for Spain during the international break. His standout performance over the summer, scoring an extra-time winner against Germany, turned many heads.

Now back in England after a previous spell at Newcastle, the 28-year-old is in awe of Arteta's unique approach and his new environment at Arsenal. "Very intense, much different (to Spain)," he said of the training under Arteta, speaking to the club's media team in a 'Colney Carpool' segment. "I don't think it's always different to Spain but I think it's different to everywhere else. The methodology they have here is unbelievable."

Merino previously spent time at Borussia Dortmund on loan from Newcastle as a youngster before making his name at Real Sociedad as an all-action player in the middle of the park.

This is now the highest level he has played at though, and the Sobha Realty Training Complex has left him revelling so far. "Not only on the pitch but also in the gym," Merino said of the things which have stood out. "I don't know. The hard work that they put in always, every member of the staff is always on top of us, making sure we have what we need to improve. Unbelievable."

As far as Arteta's individual coaching ploys go, the setup itself is relatively simple. Arsenal's boss has been known to try many things outside the box though, such as hiring professional pickpocketers and making his team hold a lightbulb before matches.

These are the quirks to Arteta which have made him one of the best. Merino will now be aiming to get himself high up in the manager's thinking, and with the state-of-the-art facilities plus innovative coaching plans, all the pieces are in place.