Arsenal appears to be closing in on the signing of Mikel Merino after his manager omitted him from the squad for their game this weekend.
The Gunners have been in discussions with Real Sociedad over acquiring the midfielder in recent weeks. Arsenal has received Merino’s assurance that he is eager for the transfer to proceed and is now working to agree on a fee with Sociedad.
Despite being in the final year of his contract, the La Liga club is seeking a substantial fee for his departure. They have rejected Arsenal’s initial offer and are looking to secure around £30 million for Merino.
Arsenal remains determined to finalise the deal in the coming weeks, and Merino’s omission from Sociedad’s lineup for their La Liga match this weekend suggests the transfer could be imminent.
The manager, Imanol Alguacil, was asked about his absence from the squad and said, as quoted by the Daily Mail:
‘I’ve left Merino out of the squad as there are talks with other clubs… and this is the best solution now.’
Just Arsenal Opinion
Merino seems close to joining us, and we just need to be patient for a few more weeks before the move is completed.