As Arsenal belatedly close in on a signing which has been weeks in the making, the phrase ‘better late than never’ comes to mind.
Negotiations may have dragged on for far longer than The Gunners would have liked – reports first emerged a month ago claiming that Mikel Arteta had given his approval for the signing of Mikel Merino – but this week looks like being the decisive one in the future of the Real Sociedad schemer.
If there is one area of the Arsenal squad where options are a little thin, it may be in that left-sided number eight role. The one Granit Xhaka made his own before moving on to Bayer Leverkusen back in 2023.
Martin Odegaard is more effective drifting in from the right. Declan Rice maybe lacks Xhaka’s craft in the final third. Kai Havertz, meanwhile, appears to have nailed down his spot at centre-forward, while Leandro Trossard also prefers a more attacking role.
Mikel Merino, then, could be the natural Xhaka replacement Arsenal appear to be looking for.
A member of Spain’s European Championship winning squad – he headed La Roja past Germany in the quarter-finals – Merino was nowhere to be seen as Imanol Alguacil’s side kicked off their La Liga campaign with a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Rayo Vallecano over the weekend.
Arsenal need £35m to sign Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino
“It is clear that there are no two players like (Atletico Madrid newbie Robin) Le Normand and Merino. Real Sociedad will not be able to replace those players with the same level,” Alguacil said at full-time.
“There is a reason why Arsenal wants Merino.”
That ‘reason’ may be his excellent vision. It may also be his box-crashing tendencies and his eye for goal, Merino scoring a career-best eight for La Real in 2023/24.
It may be because – according to Arsenal left-back and former Anoeta loanee Kieran Tierney – the one-time Newcastle United prospect has blossomed into one of the most underrated talents in the whole of Europe.
A ‘world-class’ player, Tierney says.
Mundo Deportivo now say that Merino was conspicious by his absence as Real Sociedad took to the training pitch on Wednesday.
Club president Jokin Aperribay is reportedly heading to England for further talks with Arsenal. Merino could also board a flight of his own ‘in the next few hours’ as an agreement now appears to be ‘so close’ to completion.
La Liga chief confirms Gunners talks with Spain star
Cadena Cope now say that a deal could be done for around £35 million. Real Sociedad turned down an initial £25 million offer – rising to £30 million with bonuses – from Arsenal.
“The decision was made that Mikel would not be called up because he wants to leave,” Aperribay said, explaining his absence from that Rayo Vallecano clash.
“Last week, we had a meeting with Arsenal. On Saturday, we had (another) conversation. We will have another one this week and we will see how it goes.”
Merino is due to become a free-agent in 2025, thus forcing La Real’s hand.
Furthermore, after spending just one season at Newcastle in 2017/28, the late-blooming 28-year-old appears to feel he has unfinished business in England.
“When we had meetings to renew Mikel’s contract, he told us that he feels very much a Real Madrid fan,” Aperribay adds. “But that, if a Premier League team came – and he named two or three – he wanted to fulfil his dream of returning and achieving success.”
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
