Newcastle United sold midfielder Mikel Merino last summer.
According to Noticias de Gipuzkoa, Barcelona are interested in signing Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino having tracked his progress.
Merino, 23, notched three goals and three assists in 29 La Liga games last season, starring in his first season back in Spanish football with Sociedad.
Barca may have already landed Frenkie de Jong as Sergio Busquets’ heir, but they’re still keen on another midfield option – and Merino is on the radar.
Sociedad teammate Geronimo Rulli has been offered to Barca, but it seems that they actually have more interest in Merino as they believe he has ‘Barca DNA’, and can be signed for £40million thanks to a release clause in his deal.
That news will be of interest to Newcastle fans, as the Magpies sold Merino for just £10million last summer after Sociedad activated a release clause in his deal (The Chronicle).
Merino had impressed under Rafael Benitez in the first half of the 2017-18 season, but then lost fitness and ultimately his place in the team, and grew frustrated with life on Tyneside.
Merino jumped at the chance to return to Spain, especially back to the Basque region, having been born in Pamplona and came up through the Osasuna ranks.
If Merino joins Barca for £40million, Newcastle fans will be absolutely raging, not just because they’ll have lost a talented midfield player, but also because the £10million price appears to be way below his value.
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