Arsenal have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino as he prefers joining Barcelona.
According to Alex Pintanel and Jordi Cardero, Mikel Merino has his heart set on a move to Barcelona amidst interest from Arsenal as well as Atletico Madrid. The Real Sociedad star has made quite a name for himself thanks to his impressive cameos during Spain’s incredible run at Euro 2024.
Merino has gone from strength to strength since joining Sociedad back in the day. He has been a consistent performer for them and his work hasn’t gone unnoticed. He was in incredible form last season and ended up contributing towards 13 goals (eight goals, five assists) in his 45 outings.
He might have only played a handful of minutes during the European Championship. But he did have a massive contribution thanks to his winner against Germany in the quarter-final. With just 12 months left on his deal, the 28-year-old’s future has become a big talking point.
Arsenal and Atletico Madrid keen on Merino
There is interest in his services from Premier League giants Arsenal, who are looking to add more depth to their midfield after once again falling just short in the title race. Mikel Arteta is an admirer of Merino and feels he could help his team take the next step.
Even Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has kept a close eye on the Spanish international who has been doing wonders for both club and country. While there is significant interest from the two top clubs, Barcelona seem to have the upper hand in the pursuit as the player prefers joining them.
The Catalan giants’ priority at this point is to complete the signing of Nico Williams. But they are also working on a deal to bring in a top-quality midfielder. Their new manager Hansi Flick is keen on having a box-to-box player in his ranks. While they have been linked with Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich, signing him won’t be that straightforward because of the finances involved.
Merino wants Barcelona
Barcelona are looking at Merino as an alternative to Kimmich as he fits perfectly in Flick’s plans moving ahead. He is versatile and can feature in a supporting role in a double pivot and can even start in an advanced role in the centre of the park.
Barcelona are closely monitoring his situation at Real Sociedad, and the Blaugrana are confident they could secure his services in a deal worth €20 million which is much more affordable for them when compared to the €50 million that Bayern Munich want for Kimmich. With the player keen on a move and Flick giving the green light to it, it is surely one to keep an eye on.
