Arsenal are on the verge of completing their second new signing of the summer after Fabrizio Romano gave the lowdown on a deal the Gunners can expect to cross the line within the next couple of days.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
So far, Arsenal’s only new signing for their first team this summer has been Riccardo Calafiori, the Italy international defender who arrived from Bologna. Their only other incoming business has been converting David Raya’s loan into a permanent transfer from Brentford, as well as arranging a couple of deals to reinforce their academy ranks.
But the next addition to Mikel Arteta’s squad could well be on the way, with Romano revealing Arsenal are now close to agreeing all the details of their raid on Real Sociedad for Spain midfielder Mikel Merino.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “Get ready, guys, because these could be important hours. My feeling, talking to my sources, is that could be something like 24-48 hours, but we are really at the final metres, at the final details of the Mikel Merino deal.
“The here we go to Arsenal is really, really close. We can say almost there.
“They are working on the final steps and then Mikel Merino will be a new Arsenal player. As I told you, there is already an agreement on the final fee, they’re working, it’s already two-three weeks on the payment terms, the deal, structure, the add-ons. So, the details of the deal, but they’re getting closer on everything, even on the details.
“So, Mikel Merino is extremely close to becoming a new Arsenal player. He already had some conversations with Mikel Arteta. He can’t wait to play for Mikel Arteta, as I told you these weeks. Really similar to the Calafiori story.
“The player is super-attracted by the project, he believes that Arsenal is the perfect place to be and so, work in progress on this one.
“We are really at the final steps of the summer for Mikel Merino to go to Arsenal. The player is not called up for the opening game in La Liga for Real Sociedad. Also, Imanol, the manager of Real Sociedad, confirmed that in this moment, it was better not to call the player because there are negotiations and the negotiations are with Arsenal. The negotiations are very advanced.
“The director of Arsenal, Edu, has been in Spain in recent days to advance on the deal. So getting definitely closer to the here we go for Mikel Merino.”
A former Newcastle midfielder, Merino is set to return to the Premier League at the age of 28. He would be expected to partner Declan Rice behind Martin Odegaard – who he previously played with for Real Sociedad, when the current Arsenal captain was on loan there from Real Madrid – in Arsenal’s midfield department.
Arsenal’s midfield of Rice, Merino and Odegaard
How Arsenal’s midfield could look this season
Arsenal target declared ‘best player in LaLiga’
As Romano alluded to, Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil has left Merino (and Carlos Fernandez) out of La Real’s squad for their LaLiga opener against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday evening.
Enthusiastically dubbing Merino ‘the best player in LaLiga’, the 53-year-old said at a press conference: “At the moment, we are where we are and I’m leaving out Merino and Carlos because both have open conversations with other clubs and we’ll see what happens.
“I have to thank both of them, as a person, and also as a club, for everything they have given us. I have classified Mikel as the best player in LaLiga, you can imagine what that means, and if you add Robin [Le Normand, who left for Atletico Madrid], the starting centre-back in the national team that won the European Championship, imagine what the team loses.”
Imanol has also had to deal with fears that Martin Zubimendi could be wrestled out from their midfield this summer, but the Spaniard rejected a move to Liverpool.
Nevertheless, La Real’s boss isn’t resting until the transfer window closes when it comes to Merino’s midfield colleague.
Of Zubimendi, Imanol added: “I haven’t said anything to him to convince him. But it’s clear that I’m very happy that he’s staying.
“We’re clear that Martin has great potential. We already knew that these opportunities would come his way in the market. And mind you, he could get other new ones up until the 30th.
“Liverpool is a very big team… Think about the money they were putting on the table to sign Zubimendi. The fact that he’s decided to stay has great significance. It’s very important and a source of pride, because it reflects that things are being done well at the club.
“For the moment Martin is here with us. But he has rejected an offer, the first one that has come. I repeat that I am happy about it, but until the 30th a thousand things can happen: the market could move, there could be injuries, after two games some people could get nervous.
“For the moment Liverpool have already come, but who can say that another powerful team could not do so in the next few days?”
