Arsenal have received a boost in their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino as Barcelona have taken a back seat in the race.
According to a report from Barca Universal, Mikel Merino is no longer a priority target for Barcelona. While the Catalan giants remain interested in the UEFA Euro 2024 winner, the operation to sign the Real Sociedad star has reached a standstill. With the Catalan giants no longer in the mix, Arsenal have received a major boost in their pursuit.
Merino joined Real Sociedad back in 2018 from Newcastle United. He has been a consistent performer for the Spanish club over the years. The 28-year-old has been involved in 242 matches and has even contributed towards 57 goals (27 goals, 30 assists).
While he only had limited game time during Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, he surely made an impact thanks to his injury-time winner in the extra-time against Germany in the quarter-finals. On the back of his consistent performances, there is no shortage of interest in his services.
With his current contract running out in 2025, Real Sociedad are not really in the best of positions to keep hold of their star. Barcelona and Arsenal are two clubs who have been constantly linked with the Spanish midfielder.
The Catalan giants are looking for a new defensive midfielder as they have not managed to replace Sergio Busquets yet. They are quite interested in signing Merino who is capable enough to play in a variety of positions. While he could be available for a bargain fee with his contract running out, the Spanish giants are in a complicated financial situation.
Barcelona not pushing for Merino, Arsenal get a boost
Barcelona would love to have Merino in their squad, but he is no longer a priority for the Spanish club, and they are not going to move ahead with the operation as things stand. They are more focused on bolstering their attacks and have their eyes set on Nico Williams and Dani Olmo.
Once Barcelona manage to secure their top two targets for the summer, Joan Laporta and Co. will then turn their attention towards the defensive midfield position that needs to be strengthened. For now, they are looking at La Masia for an option and Hansi Flick is considering giving Oriol Romeu another run in the team.
With Barcelona taking a back seat, Arsenal now have a clear run to sign the 28-year-old. Mikel Arteta seeks more quality in the centre of the park. He wants someone who can form a dependable partnership with Declan Rice. Merino seems to be an ideal fit for that role and with the Blaugrana no longer in the mix, the Gunners do have an easy route to sign him and they seem to be ready to step up their interest.