Report: Mikel Merino tells Rafa Benitez he wants to leave Newcastle

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La Liga side Athletic Bilbao are once again targeting Newcastle United’s Mikel Merino and an exit from the Premier League looks to be on the cards.

The uncertainty over Mikel Merino’s future at Newcastle United goes on.

The Spanish U21 international appeared to confirm that he would be remaining on Tyneside next season when he informed the Chronicle a fortnight ago that he was happy with life at St James’ Park.

But a lot appears to have changed since then. Merino has started just two Premier League games since the turn of the year and was left out of the 18-man squad for Newcastle’s 1-0 win against Huddersfield Town on Saturday, with manager Rafa Benitez confirming that the omission was a tactical decision not forced by injury.

And TEAMtalk is now reporting that the former Borussia Dortmund youngster is reconsidering his future at Newcastle.

It is understood that he has grown unsettled in the north east due to his recent lack of playing time and has told Benitez that he wants to leave and return to Spain with Athletic Bilbao.

This comes a two weeks after AS claimed Bilbao, who can only sign players from the Basque region, were keen to bring Merino to the San Mames in the summer. Tellingly, the report added that Newcastle would be willing to sell if the La Liga club met their £13.5 million price-tag.

This would earn the Magpies a decent profit after they turned Merino’s loan spell from Dortmund permanent for just £8 million back in October.

But, after some excellent performances in the first half of this season, Newcastle fans would have been hoping that Merino would be a staple of their side going forward, not merely a player sold for a quick buck.