Benitez wanted him, Spain was calling him back: Mikel Merino had a very strange season at Newcastle!
The hero of Spain, the man who sent the national team to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 with a goal in the 120th minute of the quarter-final against the Germans, had spent just one season at the Premier League! He arrived at Newcastle as a hot prospect, Benitez was excited, but the transfer strangely didn't come to fruition.