Arsenal are closing in on the signature of the Real Socied midfield star Mikel Merino who has decided to join Mikel Arteta’s team despite links with Spanish giants.
According to Fabrizio Romano via CaughtOffside, Arsenal are closing in on their second signing of the summer. They are on the verge of finalizing a deal with Real Sociedad for Mikel Merino, who has decided to join the Gunners despite interest from other clubs.
Merino joined the Spanish club back in 2018 from Newcastle and he has only gone from strength to strength since. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder has established himself as one of Sociedad’s mainstays. While he remains a key part of their team and they want him around for years to come, the Spanish international seems all set for a move away.
Merino to leave Sociedad, unlikely to continue in Spain
His contract with Sociedad runs out in 12 months and he doesn’t intend on extending his stay. The Spanish club do not want to lose out on him for free and are ready to negotiate his exit. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are both interested in Merino’s services.
The player doesn’t intend on joining Diego Simeone’s team while the Catalan giants cannot financially afford to sign him at this stage as they look to complete the signing of other priority targets.
While he surely had his opportunities to continue in Spain, the former Newcastle midfielder feels he has some unfinished business in the Premier League and he has given the green light to move to Arsenal.
Merino to join Arsenal for €30 million
The Gunners want to further strengthen their squad as they look to end their wait for the league title. They have already added Riccardo Calafiori and are now closing in on Merino’s services. Mikel Arteta rates him quite highly and has played a big part in convincing him about a move.
His arrival will give the Spanish manager more options in the centre of the park and he could form a dependable partnership with Declan Rice. They are confident about completing his signing in the coming days as they have already agreed on a package worth around €30 million for the transfer of the 28-year-old.
The structure of the deal and payment terms are yet to be taken care of, so there are still some steps before the transfer can be made official. But, the deal is in the final stages. Meanwhile, a report from Noticias de Gipuzkoa via Sportwitness suggests Merino’s departure is a certainty and Arsenal have a massive opportunity at their hands.