Arsenal are closing in on the capture of Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.
According to Caught Offside, they have agreed to a €30 million deal to sign the 28-year-old midfielder and the two clubs are now working out the structure of the deal.
The player has been linked with Barcelona as well but Arsenal seemed to have won the race for his signature.
Merino has played in the Premier League before during his time at Newcastle and he will look to make his mark in English football with Arsenal. He has proven himself to be a reliable performer in La Liga and he has the physical and technical attributes to do well in England as well.
A move to Arsenal will be quite exciting for the player and he will look to compete for major trophies with them. The reported asking price seems reasonable for a player of his quality and experience as well. He will be expected to make an instant impact and transform Arsenal in the middle of the park.
Barcelona could have used the player like him as well but they do not have the financial resources to compete with Arsenal.
Arsenal need a quality midfielder like Mikel Merino
The Gunners will be hoping to challenge for the league title next season and they will hope to go all the way this time around. They have missed out on the league title in the last two seasons to Manchester City.
Signing the right players this summer could help them get over the line and someone like Merino will certainly add control and composure to the side. He could form a solid partnership with Declan Rice in the middle of the park. It will be interesting to see if Arsenal can wrap up the move quickly and focus on improving the other areas of their squad as well. They have already signed a talented young central defender in Riccardo Calafiori and they should look to bring in a reliable goalscorer as well.
Merino is at the peak of his powers and he will feel that this is the right time for him to take the next step in his career. He will look to establish himself as a key player for Arsenal and prove his worth in the Premier League.