Mikel Merino has been linked with a shock departure from Newcastle United, according to reports in Spain.
According to Marca, Newcastle United are willing to listen to offers for midfielder Mikel Merino.
The Spanish Under-21 star joined Newcastle on a permanent basis in November after initially signing on loan from Borussia Dortmund.
But the 21-year-old, despite a brilliant start to life on Tyneside, has struggled for regular football under Rafael Benitez in recent weeks.
Consequently, Spanish outlet Marca claims that the Magpies boss Benitez could let him leave before Wednesday’s deadline.
The report adds that long-time suitors Athletic Bilbao are once again interested after receiving £57 million for the sale of Aymeric Laporte to Manchester City.
That being said, it seems very unlikely that Benitez will sell him, just months after signing him up on a permanent basis.
Merino might be struggling for a bit of form, but the class is clearly there and the Newcastle boss obviously feels that he can be a big player for the St James’s Park club in the future.
On the flip side, Benitez is struggling to complete deals so far and has only signed Chelsea left-back Kenedy on loan.
If they can get a tidy sum from Bilbao after their Laporte windfall then maybe, just maybe, the former Liverpool boss will consider it as a way to finance other arrivals, though there is less than two days left in the transfer window.
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