Barcelona will reportedly prioritise a summer move to sign 27-year-old Spanish international Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, Mikel Merino is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The Catalan giants are scouring the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window. And they have identified the 27-year-old Real Sociedad midfielder as a priority target.
Mikel Merino and his Real Sociedad journey
Mikel Merino has been one of the best midfielders in La Liga since returning to his homeland in July 2018. A native of Pamplona, he graduated from the youth division at CA Osasuna nearly a decade ago. However, Merino rose in prominence during his spells with Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United.
However, Merino became a dominant midfielder after returning to Spain by joining Real Sociedad. The move to the Basque country has done wonders for the midfielder’s career, as he has gone from strength to strength in the last half a dozen years. The 27-year-old has turned out nearly 250 times thus far for La Real, chipping in with 27 goals and 30 assists.
Meanwhile, Merino has become a mainstay in the middle of the park for his national side in the last few years. The Spanish international’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, including Premier League bigwigs. However, a move across La Liga might be on the cards for him, with Barcelona keen on signing him.
Barcelona interested in Merino
Barcelona’s interest in Mikel Merino is understandable. The Catalan giants are eager to fill the void that Sergio Busquets created when he ended his legendary stint at the club last summer. Oriol Romeu tried and failed to fill the gap, forcing Xavi Hernandez to experiment with Andreas Christensen as a holding midfielder.
However, Barcelona will look to install a recognised midfielder in the position next season, bringing Merino into the picture. Recent reports have claimed they are formulating an offer to sign the 27-year-old Spanish international. And the latest update has revealed that the Blaugrana will prioritise signing the Real Sociedad midfielder in the summer transfer window.
Raising the money to secure Mikel Merino’s services might not be an issue, with a new European partner set to help Barcelona financially. It will be interesting to see if the Catalan giants sign their priority target in the summer transfer window.
