According to AS (via Sports witness), Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino would be delighted to sign for Arsenal after rejecting interest from Atletico Madrid this summer.
The Gunners are currently focused on signing a midfielder and Merino is the number one target. Personal terms have It has already been agreed on a long-term contract and the club is negotiating a payment structure with Sociedad.
AS Now, media reports claim Merino would be “delighted” to sign for the Gunners. He reportedly has a “thorn in his side” from his time at Arsenal. Newcastle UnitedThe Spaniard only spent one season with the Magpies.
Mikel ArtetaThe team will have to pay around £26 million to sign the former Premier league Atletico are also big admirers of Merino, but the 28-year-old has turned down the chance to join the club this summer.
Matter of time
Merino played a single season with the Magpies in the Premier League in 2017/18. He showed glimpses of his potential at the Tyneside side but made the decision to return to the Spanish top flight with Real Sociedad.
Since then, the Spaniard has been a key player for the La Liga side. He has been brilliant as a number eight, where he has impressed with his strong defensive abilities as well as his goalscoring contributions.
Merino won the most league duels in Europe's top five last season, but also impressed in the last three quarters with 8 goals and 5 assists. He would be a solid acquisition for Arsenal without a huge investment.
With personal terms agreed, it could be just a matter of time before Real Sociedad sanction his departure. Merino, who has been hailed as “world classKieran Tierney could be used as a rotation player by the Gunners.
He could start in the big games when the Gunners may need more solidity at the back. Merino has similar traits to Granit Xhaka and could be a good investment as he is in the prime of his career.
