Arsenal’s efforts to sign Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad are moving forward rapidly, with discussions reportedly in a very advanced stage.
According to a recent update on the Here We Go podcast by Fabrizio Romano,
the Gunners have been engaged in negotiations for weeks and are making significant progress.
Romano shared that Arsenal began talks with Real Sociedad several weeks ago regarding Merino,
and the conversations have been active and ongoing. Importantly, the player himself is keen on the move and has already reached an agreement with Arsenal. This decision by Merino has not gone unnoticed by other interested clubs, such as Barcelona and Atletico Madrid,
who are aware that the midfielder has chosen Arsenal as his preferred destination.
Merino is reportedly eager to join Arsenal, largely due to his admiration for manager Mikel Arteta and the club’s technical project.
He believes that Arteta’s coaching style perfectly aligns with his skills,
making Arsenal an ideal fit for the next stage of his career.
Currently, Arsenal and Real Sociedad are in contact and making progress,
but there are still some details to be finalized, particularly regarding payment terms and the overall structure of the deal. While the negotiations are well advanced, a few aspects remain to be ironed out before the transfer can be completed.
In recent days, there has been speculation about Arsenal potentially considering other midfield options,
especially after Merino’s absence from a Real Sociedad pre-season friendly,
which was attributed to fitness concerns rather than an impending transfer.
However, the consensus among most sources is that Merino’s move to Arsenal is now inevitable, with the timing being the only remaining question.