'I still get goosebumps' - Mikel Merino admits he misses Newcastle and asked about returning

The sound of thousands of Geordies singing his chant is still ringing in Mikel Merino's ears. In fact, the Spaniard's Real Sociedad's team-mates still joke with him about it.

' He comes from Spain and he's f------ class....'

If Newcastle fans thought Merino was class, well, he is the real deal now and to say the midfielder's move to Sociedad has worked out would be an understatement. Merino has become a fully-fledged Spain international; helped Los Txuri-Urdin win the club's first major trophy, the Copa del Rey, in nearly a quarter of a century; and sampled life in the Europa League for the first time in his career.

However, although Merino knew he made the 'right' decision when he left Newcastle in 2018, the 25-year-old admitted it was a 'tough' call to depart after just a year at the club.

"I felt at home there and I'm not lying when I say that," Merino told ChronicleLive after modestly apologising for his flawless English. "I felt so welcome by the fans, by my team-mates, by the atmosphere. The city was amazing. I was enjoying just going to the city centre and having a pint or going for a walk and enjoying the people speaking nicely to you. I was feeling great.

"I look back on those times and it was a shame I could not play more games and enjoy the fans and the league a little bit more, but my mindset right now is it was a huge year for me. I learned a lot.

"I'm really sure I'm the player that I am now because of Newcastle and all the experiences that I lived there. I'm really happy that I lived that and I wish all the best for every Newcastle fan.

"The team right now are killing it so I'm really happy for them. Even now, when I watch the games and you see over 3,000 people travelling for an away game - it's