Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Mikel Merino from Spanish club, Real Sociedad. The Spanish midfielder is worth around £33.5m. Negotiations have been going on for several weeks between Jokin Aperribay and Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu. Both the clubs have finally reached an agreement for the transfer.
The midfielder will sign a four-year contract plus an option of a further year, after undergoing the medical. He will be the Gunners’ third signing of the transfer window after Riccardo Calafiori and David Raya. The 28-year old is a very efficient box-to-box midfielder and will help provide competition to Jorginho and Thomas Partey.
The Spanish hero will increase the squad depth and quality in midfield. Merino has previous experience of the Premier League, having spent a year at Newcastle. Therefore, he is expected to adapt himself to the harsh conditions of the British isles. He believes in Mikel Arteta’s project and is eager to help the club compete against rivals Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Merino, who has 190 caps for Real Sociedad, made 45 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring eight goals and providing 5 assists. He has made 28 appearances for Spain, featuring in the Euro 2024 and winning the tournament.
How did Mikel convince Mikel to join Arsenal?
Mikel Arteta played a crucial role in sealing the deal of Mikel Merino. The 28-year old had many options but opted to move to Arsenal only. He pushed for this transfer since beginning and is receiving his fruits of labour. The Gunners manager has a good history with players, as he brings the best out of his players.
The manager can also understand the 28-year old midfielder because Arteta himself was a player of Real Sociedad. He knows how it feels to move to a club as big as Arsenal. There is only one Spanish player in the Arsenal squad right now, who is David Raya, who already shares a bond with his national side teammate. Merino can also bond together with the manager and find this new atmosphere familiar as they share the same nationality.
Arteta was a midfielder when he was a player, similar to Merino’s role. The player felt that the manager could help him improve in key areas and develop him from his experience at the club and as a player. Usually players struggle to adapt to the Premier league after joining from Spain. The Gunners’ boss has more than ten years of experience in this country and would be a perfect mentor for the new signing.
Real Sociedad secure club’s one of the most profitable player sale
Mikel Merino’s imminent move to Arsenal will be celebrated by Real Sociedad, as they secured a highly profitable price for the midfielder. According to El Diario Vasco, it will be ‘among the most expensive’ in the history of the Spanish club.
The 28-year-old becomes the Spanish club’s fourth most expensive sale in their history. The club will receive around £33.5m plus £5m in add-ons, which is massive for the club’s revenue. He was one of the highest earners at the club and they will be able to free up the wage budget for the new signings. Arsenal and Sociedad finally reached an agreement after weeks of negotiations.
It is felt that the club have robbed the Gunners and are celebrating the sale of Mikel Merino. The player has been brilliant for the Spanish club and is giving them an even bigger pay off. The player is already in London in order to complete his medical tests and sign the contract.
It is said that he has bid farewell to his teammates and other staff from the club and is ready to start his new chapter. Arsenal will officially announce the new signing soon. Merino will not be a part of the squad against Aston Villa today but is expected to make his debut against Brighton next weekend.
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