Liverpool are keen on Mikel Merino with Jurgen Klopp and co seemingly eyeing up a move for the former Newcastle United man.
The Reds are likely to be in the market for a couple of midfield additions in 2023.
Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner are all out of contract whilst Arthur Melo’s loan looks unlikely to be turned permanent.
It’s time for Liverpool to add new energy to their midfield but they can’t put all of their eggs in the Jude Bellingham basket.
Liverpool are keen on Mikel Merino
There have been other names linked and another has popped up today in Mikel Merino.
Italian reporter Rudy Galetti reports that Liverpool have placed Real Sociedad star Merino on their midfield wish list.
Moises Caicedo, Piotr Zieliński and Declan Rice are also mentioned as being alternative targets to Bellingham.
Merino is an interesting shout given his history in the Premier League.
The Spaniard joined Newcastle United from Borussia Dortmund back in 2017 having previously shown potential with Osasuna.
Merino lasted just a year with the Magpies though, making only 24 Premier League appearances before being sold to Real Sociedad.
Merino is now approaching 200 games for Sociedad and has even picked up 11 caps for Spain during his time back in La Liga.
A 6ft 2in midfielder with great quality on the ball, Merino maybe isn’t the quickest midfielder ever but he has turned into an all-round, box-to-box player since leaving Newcastle.
That Newcastle exit cost around £10million and you can be sure that he is worth much more now.
Sociedad would surely command fairly big money for the 26-year-old, who is still under contract until 2025.
We would still expect Liverpool to go for other midfielders ahead of Merino, especially after his first Premier League spell, but the Spaniard represents an interesting option having developed massively back in Spain.
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