Arsenal have stepped up their efforts to sign Real Sociedad’s 28-year-old Spanish international Mikel Merino.
Mikel Arteta has wanted Merino for some time, and the two clubs are now in talks to negotiate a deal.
Arsenal sporting director Edu has been in Spain this week as he looks to broker an agreement. Arsenal are confident of a positive resolution: with Merino keen to join the club and play under Arteta, personal terms are not thought to be an issue.
Sociedad are resigned to the possibility of losing Merino, who has just 12 months remaining on his current contract. Although they have offered him an extension, the player’s representatives have made clear that his intention is to join Arsenal.
As was the case with Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal are likely to want assurance of a significant departure before they can proceed to the final stages of any deal for Merino.
In Calafiori’s case, Arsenal only progressed the signing towards completion once they had reached a broad agreement with Fulham over the sale of Emile Smith Rowe.
As things stand, the likeliest player to make way for Merino is Eddie Nketiah. Although a move to Marseille has fallen through, there is interest from the 25-year-old from elsewhere — including Bournemouth, who are looking for a replacement for Dominic Solanke.
Earlier this week Merino’s midfield partner Martin Zubamendi turned down a move to Liverpool in favour of remaining at Real Sociedad.
Merino came through the ranks at Osasuna before having spells at Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle United.
He joined Real Sociedad in the summer of 2018, where he has gone on to score 27 goals and provide 30 assists in 242 games for the club.
At international level, he has scored two goals in 28 appearances for his country and played in all seven games of Spain’s Euro 2024-winning campaign in Germany earlier this summer.
Additional reporting by Guillermo Rai & Mario Cortegana Santos
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