On Wednesday, reports emerged claiming that Barcelona have set their sights on Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino as a target for the summer window.
The 27-year-old Spaniard is seen as a ‘perfect fit’ in the system that Hansi Flick plans to use at Barça and the fact that his contract expires in 2025 makes him an attractive proposition for the Catalans.
No move made yet
While Barcelona do hold a concrete interest in Mikel Merino, Mundo Deportivo reports that the Catalans are yet to make any move to secure his services in the summer.
Indeed, the Blaugrana have not made any approach to Real Sociedad or the midfielder’s entourage to discuss the possibility of a summer transfer.
For now, the only club that Merino has negotiated with are Real Sociedad, who are trying to secure his contract renewal.
Barça see Merino as a good fit for the double pivot in Flick’s 4-2-3-1 setup, owing to his technical ability, capability to drive forward, and defensive work rate.
But, for now, there are no approaches or movements made, possibly because the Azulgrana are awaiting clarity with regard to their Financial Fair Play situation before acting on their interest.
As mentioned earlier, Merino’s contract with Real Sociedad runs until the summer of 2025 and contains a release clause worth €65 million.
Reaching such a figure could be an issue for Barcelona, although Sociedad could be forced into accepting a lower sum if the midfielder does not renew his contract, so as to avoid losing him for free next year.
