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Arsenal agree deal to sign Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino

By on August 22, 2024

Arsenal have reportedly agreed on a deal in principle with Real Sociedad to sign Mikel Merino, as per the transfer expert David Ornstein.

After securing Riccardo Calafiori’s signature, the Gunners have been working on this deal over the last few weeks to bolster their engine room.

Now, writing on The Athletic, Ornstein states that the North London club have finally reached an agreement to purchase their key target and the player will now undergo medical before the move gets finalised.

The journalist clarifies the structure of this deal and says that Arsenal have agreed to pay €33.5m[£28m] in guaranteed fee plus €5m[£4m] in bonuses and the player will sign a four-year contract with an option of a further year.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano backs Ornstein’s report and adds that Mikel Arteta played a crucial role in convincing the midfielder to join as he did with Riccardo Calafiori.

Merino to Arsenal

The journalist says Merino had two other proposals but he made up his mind that he is going to move to the Emirates Stadium.

Romano said:

“Similar to the Riccardo Calafiori story, Mikel Arteta has been crucial also for Merino’s move to Arsenal. Positive talks with the player, Merino had at least two more proposals but he’s been clear: only AFC.”

The 28-year-old is a box-to-box midfielder and it remains to be seen how Arteta fields his team with him in the starting eleven.

After signing Declan Rice last summer, Arteta has been using him in the number eight position with Jorginho or Thomas Partey in the deep-lying playmaker position. However, the Gunners boss will have to tweak a bit to create room for both Rice and Merino in the same team.

He is a technically gifted player and is efficient in threading passes between the lines. Additionally, he is dynamic, can press the opposition high up the field, good in the air and also has the ability to chip-in with some important goals.

So, after strengthening the midfield department, it is going to be interesting to see whether Arsenal opt to make a swoop to sign a new striker between now and the end of this season with Eddie Nketiah likely to leave the club.