The door may have just opened for Arsenal to sign one of their targets this summer.
The Gunners need reinforcements in this window to further close the gap between themselves and Manchester City in the Premier League. The two teams were separated by just two points at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Mikel Arteta knows his side are close to pipping the champions but to get over the final hurdle, a few top-quality additions are necessary in the coming weeks.
Arsenal have been linked with plenty of names across different areas of the pitch since the window opened. A new midfielder is high on their list of priorities.
Here’s an update about one of their key targets.
The latest on Mikel Merino as Arsenal eye move to sign him
Mikel Merino has emerged as an important target for Arsenal.
The midfielder, who is currently preparing to help Spain win the Euro 2024 final against England, has entered the final year of his contract at Real Sociedad.
There is a big chance he will leave the club this summer, and reports have claimed that Arteta is personally trying to convince Merino to join Arsenal in the coming weeks.
It has been claimed that Arteta has convinced Arsenal to break their transfer policy for Merino too – the Gunners don’t usually sign players of his age, 28, but he is viewed as a great market opportunity.
Tutto Juve share an update on the situation now.
The report claims that Real Sociedad have decided that selling Merino ‘immediately’ would be the best option because of his contract situation.
It has also been claimed that Arsenal are the main contenders for the Spaniard’s signature because of Arteta. But, Sociedad are demanding £33 million to let him go.
Whether the Gunners will pay that fee remains to be seen.
The one Mikel Merino trait that makes him very valuable for Arsenal
Merino checks a lot of boxes for Arsenal.
The Spaniard is good on the ball, excellent in the air and is brilliant at progressing the ball forward from the middle of the park. Merino could easily become Arsenal’s new Granit Xhaka next season.
However, the trait that has impressed us the most is his injury record.
The talented 28-year-old midfielder has missed just 13 games of football due to injuries since December 2018 – that’s over five-and-a-half years ago.
That makes him such a reliable player, and it’s probably why Arteta is so keen to sign Merino for Arsenal this summer.
