Mikel Merino – CaughtOffside https://www.caughtoffside.com Football transfer rumours, news and Gossip from the English Premier League and beyond Sun, 11 Aug 2024 23:23:08 +0100 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.9 3497552 Arsenal increasingly NERVOUS as Liverpool make progress on €60million transfer https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/11/merino-transfer-arsenal-worried-by-zubimendi-liverpool/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/11/merino-transfer-arsenal-worried-by-zubimendi-liverpool/#respond Sun, 11 Aug 2024 09:58:13 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1597395 Arsenal are reportedly increasingly nervous about missing out on Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino due to Liverpool now making progress on the transfer of his teammate Martin Zubimendi. Merino has been a top target for the Gunners for much of this summer, while he’s also been linked with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at points, though […]

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Arsenal are reportedly increasingly nervous about missing out on Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino due to Liverpool now making progress on the transfer of his teammate Martin Zubimendi.

Merino has been a top target for the Gunners for much of this summer, while he’s also been linked with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at points, though with most sources now claiming the Emirates Stadium would be his preferred destination.

According to reports in Spain, however, Liverpool’s pursuit of Zubimendi now has Arsenal worried as it remains to be seen if Sociedad will be ready to sell both these important players in one window.

Liverpool are believed to be ready to pay Zubimendi’s release clause in full, and are just working to persuade the Spain international to move to Anfield after he’s previously shown a reluctance to move abroad.

Mikel Merino to Arsenal?

It seems things might be moving in the right direction for LFC, though, with Arsenal now worried it could cost them the Merino deal.

Merino transfer: Arsenal to up their bid in response to Liverpool’s Zubimendi pursuit

It’s now claimed Arsenal are ready to make an improved offer for Merino imminently as they fear Liverpool getting to Zubimendi first.

It will be interesting to see if the north London giants can get this over the line, with other midfield targets of theirs also getting away from them this summer, with Douglas Luiz moving to Juventus and Amadou Onana joining Aston Villa.

Bruno Guimaraes has also been linked but looks set to stay at Newcastle, so Merino now looks the best option and is available for a decent price due to being in the final year of his Sociedad contract.

Arsenal were previously thought to be offering around £17m for the 28-year-old, but it might be that something closer to £25m will be needed to finally get this deal done.

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Transfer news: Trippier not West Ham’s priority, Sancho situation open and more https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/09/transfer-news-fabrizio-romano/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/09/transfer-news-fabrizio-romano/#respond Fri, 09 Aug 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1597197 This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io — West Ham will only move for Trippier if Wan-Bissaka deal breaks down Talks with Aaron Wan-Bissaka continue for West […]

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This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive articles via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

West Ham will only move for Trippier if Wan-Bissaka deal breaks down

Talks with Aaron Wan-Bissaka continue for West Ham and he remains their priority for the right-back position, although it is a complicated deal to get over the line.

Despite the rumours, I’m not aware of talks for Arnau Martinez, and Kieran Trippier will only be an option if the Wan Bissaka deal falls through.

There’s no imminent move for Vladimir Coufal either from what I heard.

Chalobah will take his time and choose the best option

On Trevoh Chalobah’s situation, Crystal Palace are interested but it’s the same with clubs from abroad.

Chalobah will take his time to decide what will be the best opportunity for him.

What I’m told too is that Crystal Palace also have Lacroix on their shortlist, a player that’s really appreciated by Glasner.

So, a decision will be made once Marc Guehi’s future is clarified as talks with Newcastle are still ongoing, not done yet.

De Gea has a verbal agreement with Fiorentina

 

David de Gea is back, guys.

The former Manchester United goalkeeper, finally back after more than almost 13/14 months with no activity on the pitch, is gonna play in Serie A.

Let’s wait for the signature because we know that with agents it’s always kind of dangerous on the market, but the verbal agreement is in place.

David said yes to Fiorentina. One year contract plus one year option, €2m net salary plus €1m in add-ons.

Good luck to David, after a long time out of the game for him.

Arsenal continue working on Nketiah and Merino deals

I also wanted to mention what’s going on at Arsenal, because we know that they are busy with the situation of Eddie Nketiah after selling Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham.

It was kind of a tense situation with Marseille because they had an agreement with the player. Nketiah wants to go to Marseille, he’s open to joining and attracted by the project.

But the negotiations were really tense in the recent days because Marseille had a new bid rejected and so they started exploring other options.

What they are doing now is to renegotiate again with Arsenal for Eddie Nketiah.

What I’m hearing is that they presented a new proposal in the last 24 hours, but now they want to close the deal only at their conditions – because they already spent other money in other positions.

Remember that Arsenal are also working to close the deal for Mikel Merino.

He hasn’t been called up for Real Sociedad’s next game because they say that he’s not 100 percent fit, but we know the transfer is behind this story because Mikel Merino has an agreement with Arsenal.

The contract is already agreed. The player said yes. He knows that Mikel Arteta wants him. This is the reality.

Arsenal have been closing in on the deal since last week, but they need to agree on the payment structure, payment terms, so a work in progress.

Barca pushing for Nico but Athletic are relaxed

Lots of questions still regarding Nico Williams, and as I wrote on Substack yesterday guys, no changes…

Barça keep calling Nico’s agent, but at the moment Athletic Club remain completely confident and optimistic to keep him at the club.

They are sure that Nico will end up staying. Barça have a dream and they are trying to make it a reality, but Athletic are currently relaxed.

Still chances for Ivan Toney to find a new club

I think there’s still a chance for a move to happen this summer for Ivan Toney.

There could be movements in the next days and weeks, but there’s nothing imminent so far.

We have to see about which clubs have a concrete interest, because about 10 different clubs have been rumoured to be interested in him this summer.

I don’t want to put out names without any concrete updates but, for sure, it’s still an open situation.

Richarlison’s focus won’t change Tottenham’s plans for Solanke

There are no changes to Tottenham’s plans on signing Dominic Solanke, despite Richarlison wanting to stay.

Solanke remains the priority target.

Richarlison is fully focused on Spurs and Tottenham were already aware of this so his situation doesn’t change the plan to bring in more players.

It’s never easy to negotiate with Bournemouth but Spurs are trying.

Chris Smalling could be on the move this summer

 

No concrete talks are taking place for Chris Smalling now but it’s yet another open case.

Roma are looking for a new centre-back and Smalling could leave in the case of a good proposal for both Roma and the player.

Jadon Sancho’s situation is still wide open

I wanted to finish by mentioning Jadon Sancho. It’s important to say that his situation too remains open.

He is 100 percent part of the Man United team, but in case of a formal proposal in the next three weeks, there could still be movement for Jadon Sancho.

Man United could be open to doing business and the player could also be open to the move, so it all depends on the proposals.

Now, everything is okay, but PSG and others have been making contact with Sancho’s agents.

Still no bid but the situation is one to watch until the end of the window.

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Report claims 28-year-old Arsenal target’s absence from friendly match squad hints at imminent exit https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/09/mikel-merino-expected-join-arsenal/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/09/mikel-merino-expected-join-arsenal/#comments Fri, 09 Aug 2024 09:33:43 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1597213 Arsenal target Mikel Merino’s exclusion from Real Sociedad’s friendly match squad suggests his departure could be imminent. Real Sociedad are gearing up for their final friendly fixture before the start of the new season. They have travelled to Germany to square up against FC Union Berlin at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei later today. […]

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Arsenal target Mikel Merino’s exclusion from Real Sociedad’s friendly match squad suggests his departure could be imminent.

Real Sociedad are gearing up for their final friendly fixture before the start of the new season. They have travelled to Germany to square up against FC Union Berlin at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei later today.

While everything seems to be going well, the absence of Mikel Merino from the Spanish club’s squad hasn’t gone unnoticed and it has resulted in a lot of talk about his future.

According to a report NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA, Arsenal target Merino’s absence from the friendly match squad hints at an imminent departure. Mikel Arteta is pushing hard to further strengthen his team and they have been working on a deal to sign the Spanish international for some time now.

The 28-year-old has gone from strength to strength since joining Sociedad back in 2018. He has established himself as a mainstay at the Spanish club and was on fire last season. The central midfielder finished with eight goals and five assists in his 45 outings during the 2023/24 campaign. While he has been an integral part of their first team over the years, Merino’s future has been uncertain with his contract running out in 12 months.

Mikel Merino to Arsenal?

Sociedad want to extend his stay but the player is keen on a move away. While there was interest in his services from Atletico Madrid, he turned down the opportunity to play for Diego Simeone’s team and Arsenal have been the front runners ever since. Arteta wants someone who can form a dependable partnership with Declan Rice and Merino surely fits the bill.

With Álex Remiro, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Martín Zubimendi—all three of Real Sociedad’s European champions—included in the squad for the friendly, the absence of Mikel Merino, the fourth European champion, strongly suggests that he will leave the club before the end of the transfer window.

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Arsenal in advanced talks to sign versatile star with 27 goals & 30 assists https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/08/arsenal-in-advanced-talks-to-sign-versatile-star-with-27-goals-30-assists/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/08/arsenal-in-advanced-talks-to-sign-versatile-star-with-27-goals-30-assists/#respond Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:22:29 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1597167 Arsenal are reportedly closing in on a move for Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, with the Gunners looking to secure the Real Sociedad star as they strengthen their squad ahead of the new season. Mikel Merino has been a standout performer for Real Sociedad in La Liga and recently shone at Euro 2024, where his performances […]

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Arsenal are reportedly closing in on a move for Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, with the Gunners looking to secure the Real Sociedad star as they strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.

Mikel Merino has been a standout performer for Real Sociedad in La Liga and recently shone at Euro 2024, where his performances caught the eye of several top European clubs.

Arsenal, keen to bolster their midfield options, have intensified their efforts to sign the 28-year-old, particularly in light of Liverpool’s strong interest in Merino’s teammate Martin Zubimendi.

Arsenal in advanced talks with Real Sociedad for Merino

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have already agreed on personal terms with Merino, who has reportedly chosen the North London club over potential moves to Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

The transfer fee being discussed is said to be over €25 million, with both clubs currently negotiating the payment terms and structure of the deal.

Romano provided the latest update on X:

“Arsenal remain in active talks to complete Mikel Merino deal, more steps to follow. Merino has agreed on personal terms with Arsenal, clubs keep working on deal structure/payment terms; fee over €25m. Atlético and Barça, already informed of Merino’s desire to join AFC.”

Merino would be a great signing for Arsenal

Merino joined Real Sociedad in 2018 from Newcastle United and has since become a key figure in their midfield.

Over his six-year tenure with the club, he has made 242 appearances, scoring 27 goals and providing 30 assists.

His versatility is a significant asset, as he can play in various midfield positions as well as in central defence.

If the North London side can successfully secure Merino’s signature, he would be a great addition to Mikel Arteta’s side.

 

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Inside Spain: Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino latest, Gibraltar bans and Conor Gallagher chaos https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/08/inside-spain-martin-zubimendi-and-mikel-merino-latest-gibraltar-bans-and-conor-gallagher-chaos/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/08/inside-spain-martin-zubimendi-and-mikel-merino-latest-gibraltar-bans-and-conor-gallagher-chaos/#respond Thu, 08 Aug 2024 18:10:01 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1597139 Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond. It’s been a breathless week in Spain in the transfer window, without much actually being confirmed. There are a lot of […]

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Inside Spain is a weekly instalment brought to you by Football España, providing an insight into all of the major stories coming out of the rich and intense climes of La Liga and beyond.

It’s been a breathless week in Spain in the transfer window, without much actually being confirmed. There are a lot of people on transport to new cities though.

Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez looks as if his flight from Ibiza is booked for early next week to compete a €75m plus €20m in variables deal to Atletico Madrid. Samu Omorodion will fly for London once the Olympics are over on Friday, to complete a €42m move to Chelsea.

Going the other way will be Conor Gallagher. He did not travel for 48 hours after making a decision on his future, mostly because Atletico tried to pull out of a €42m deal for him. Valencia Sporting Director Miguel Angel Corona did them no favours by revealing they wanted Javi Guerra instead, who they had also agreed a deal for. He had booked off training and booked a train to Madrid, but was told not to get on.

Such has been the excitement at Atletico that Kylian Mbappe’s first training session at Real Madrid has almost gone unnoticed. Arsenal fans could well be able to celebrate the signing of Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino, with a bid due before the end of the week, but Real Madrid are reportedly part of the reason they did not go after teammate Martin Zubimendi this summer, for the first time in three years.

It might be the year they persuade him to leave though: the €60m Zubimendi is keen on a move to Liverpool, but is facing an effort from Real Sociedad to convince him to stay. Both leaving would be disastrous for the Txuri-Urdin.

Barcelona were of course the other power in the mix for Zubimendi for the past two years, but it looks as if they will forego the midfield spot entirely to bring in Dani Olmo, who arrived on Tuesday – but notably has not been announced. Nico Williams looks as if he will stay at Athletic Club after returning to training a week early in Bilbao, but Barcelona maintain they are still trying to sign him. At least one midfielder is having an impact at Barcelona though, with new coach Thiago Alcantara proving a valuable addition.

Finally, there have been plenty of run-ins with the authorities this week. Alvaro Morata and Rodri Hernandez will pick-up a one-match ban from UEFA for chanting ‘Gibraltar is Spanish’ during their Euro 2024 celebrations. That was a minor offence compared to ex-Barcelona and Real Madrid forward Javier Saviola, who spent Monday morning in an Andorran jail cell.

 

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Transfer news: Alvarez replacement, ins and outs at Chelsea, Merino to Arsenal latest & more https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/07/transfer-news-alvarez-replacement-omorodion-chelsea/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/07/transfer-news-alvarez-replacement-omorodion-chelsea/#comments Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:50:00 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1596912 This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io Julian Alvarez transfer nearly done and how Man City could replace him We’ve had significant developments on a few […]

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This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Julian Alvarez transfer nearly done and how Man City could replace him

We’ve had significant developments on a few major deals in a crazy domino around Europe and the first of those is the ‘here we go’ for Julian Alvarez to move from Manchester City to Atletico Madrid. It’s a record sale for Man City – a €75m guaranteed fee plus €20m in add-ons.

So that could be a potential €95m sale for a player Man City signed for just £14m a couple of years ago – an incredible piece of business for the Premier League champions. Of course it’s also an exciting signing for Atletico Madrid, who are landing a top talent up front, so it’s fantastic for both clubs.

It will be completed soon, with Alvarez set to sign a five-year contract. Alvarez has also spoken already with Diego Simeone, who has been really keen to push this move through.

Man City will now look at options to replace Alvarez, for sure. It could be a striker, but I would not be surprised if they end up considering also wingers and maybe playing with a false nine when Erling Haaland will not be available. Talks are taking place internally to decide on the next move, so we will have to wait and see the outcome of those discussions.

Latest on Conor Gallagher and Samu Omorodion deals

Another big name on his way to Atletico Madrid is Conor Gallagher. The Chelsea midfielder said yes to the La Liga giants after a complicated saga that took some time – he’s now agreed to the contract terms and will fly for his medical. The verbal agreement is in place, but all still waiting to get all signed in order to feel finally safe on this saga, it’s almost ten days now.

Chelsea will make a guaranteed €40m from the sale of Gallagher, so it’s a good sale for them, especially as they preferred to sell him abroad even though he also had interest from Premier League clubs. Tottenham wanted him for next summer as a free agent, but no formal bid was sent to Chelsea this summer.

Of course, Samu Omorodion to Chelsea has also been part of these discussions, though it’s a separate deal. There was interest from Chelsea earlier in the summer, but Atletico said no as they didn’t want to sell the player, while he was also very happy with Atletico.

However, with the Alvarez deal on top of the recent move for Alexander Sorloth, there is no more room for Omorodion, so it’s now all set for him to join Chelsea. The agreement is done with the player on a contract valid for the next seven years, while the clubs have also agreed on a fee of €35m.

So, Omorodion has accepted the move and will have his medical soon, and it’s one more striker for Enzo Maresca. In the end, the Alvarez deal was a crucial part of the domino, even though Omorodion was happy to stay at Atletico, and now he’s getting closer to Chelsea, with some final details to clarify.

Now Chelsea will have to decide what they want to do with Marc Guiu, who they signed from Barcelona earlier in the window, as they could keep him in their squad or possibly send him out on loan. David Datro Fofana and Armando Broja could also leave, and the priority for Chelsea is for a permanent transfer for both players, or it could be a loan with an obligation to buy.

Joao Felix to Aston Villa could still be one to watch

Joao Felix’s future remains undecided and there were some reports that he could be part of the Julian Alvarez deal, though my understanding was that Manchester City were always likely to sell Alvarez without any other player being involved. Felix was never a target for Man City, they have different ideas – they respect him as a player of course, but they have different plans for this window.

With Felix, keep an eye on Aston Villa because the appreciation from Villa Park is still there – Unai Emery really loves Felix as a player. It’s still not decided where Felix will go next, it’s not being decided now, but I wanted to clarify that he was not part of the Alvarez negotiations.

So, the Felix story is not closed yet, and at the moment Atletico are obviously busy with other deals, so we’ll see again in the next few days if the Felix situation will be discussed and what it could mean for his future. Villa are still there, but it’s not time for a breakthrough in this deal just yet.

Jadon Sancho could still leave Man Utd plus truth about those Denzel Dumfries links

There is still a possibility for Jadon Sancho to leave Manchester United in this transfer window – we have to keep the door open for that, but at the moment it’s still not advancing to important stages of negotiations. It’s true that Paris Saint-Germain have an interest and that they have spoken with the agents of the player.

However, there have been reports that PSG are closing in on the player and that’s not correct as far as I understand. He’s on their list, it’s a possibility, but we’re not yet at that stage of the negotiation. Sancho to PSG could be one to watch, but it’s not decided yet, and we’ll have to see as well what Manchester United want to do with the player, because the decision of the club, of INEOS, and of Erik ten Hag will be important to decide the next steps of this story.

Another United story that has gained a lot of attention in recent hours is with Denzel Dumfries. At the moment, I’m still told that Man United’s focus remains on Noussair Mazraoui as their priority target. There’s still no agreement with Bayern but the player is also waiting for United, so the right-back story remains with full focus on Mazraoui.

Dumfries will not sign a new contract in August, but if he’s staying at Inter beyond August it remains a possibility for him to extend.

No change on Victor Osimhen to Chelsea saga

As ever, a lot is being written about Victor Osimhen’s future, with reports from England and Italy saying completely different things, but from what I’m told there has been no change in the last 24-48 hours. With Chelsea, I expect nothing will change tomorrow or the next day either, because the situation is still very clear – Chelsea’s interest remains, they are having conversations with Napoli, but the only option for them to continue is with a loan or another kind of creative formula.

Napoli want to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, and Lukaku has an agreement already with Napoli, but at the moment the issue is that Osimhen is not considering a loan move to Chelsea. He is also not going to lower his wages or accept a reduced salary. So, everything remains open and nothing has changed yet, but when it does I will let you know.

Mikel Merino Arsenal transfer talks ongoing

It’s gone a bit quiet on the Mikel Merino to Arsenal saga in recent days, so I’ve had some fans asking me for an update on the situation.

For now my understanding is that negotiations continue, it’s still all verbal with no formal bid but for sure Merino is waiting for Arsenal to complete the agreement with Real Sociedad.

It’s also about payment terms, the structure, more things to follow between the two clubs. Merino wants Arsenal, so it’s just on the clubs now.

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“The only issue…” – Arsenal given transfer warning as they work on €40m deal https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/07/arsenal-urged-to-sign-striker/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/07/arsenal-urged-to-sign-striker/#respond Wed, 07 Aug 2024 11:40:46 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1596938 Former Arsenal captain William Gallas has warned his old club about pursuing the transfer of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino when he feels they are in desperate need of a new striker. Gallas believes Merino is not needed at Arsenal, with the Frenchman saying that Declan Rice can play that defensive midfield role, whereas the […]

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Former Arsenal captain William Gallas has warned his old club about pursuing the transfer of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino when he feels they are in desperate need of a new striker.

Gallas believes Merino is not needed at Arsenal, with the Frenchman saying that Declan Rice can play that defensive midfield role, whereas the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz aren’t enough in attack.

Arsenal came ever so close to winning the Premier League title last season, being pipped to the trophy by Manchester City on the final day of the season.

The Gunners were rock solid defensively but arguably lacked that Erling Haaland-esque figure in their squad, with no one really looking capable of scoring 20-30 goals a season.

Gallas believes that should now be Arsenal’s priority as he cast his doubts over the pursuit of Merino, whilst also criticising Jesus and Havertz.

Kai Havertz in action for Arsenal

Arsenal given transfer warning by former captain

“Arsenal don’t need to sign Mikel Merino when they have Declan Rice who can play in that role,” Gallas told Genting Casino, as quoted by the Metro.

“They still need a top class striker that can go and score them 20 goals in the Premier League.

“The only issue is that they haven’t signed that striker yet, despite coming so close to being champions last season.

“They got that close without having a striker who could score 20 goals, Manchester City won it because they have Erling Haaland. You have to have a player like that.

“With Gabriel Jesus, he has injuries and isn’t consistent enough. I’m also not convinced by Kai Havertz, he scored goals but many were penalties, they need to buy a striker.

“I hope Gabriel Jesus can be the play to fire Arsenal to the title and it’s Mikel Arteta who sees him in training everyday – but I don’t think he has what it takes to score 20 goals.”

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Exclusive: Midfielder wants Arsenal transfer, negotiations continuing, according to expert https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/07/merino-transfer-arsenal-sociedad-talks-continuing/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/07/merino-transfer-arsenal-sociedad-talks-continuing/#respond Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:36:51 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1596901 Transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has provided his latest update on the Mikel Merino to Arsenal deal, with the Euro 2024 winner keen on the move, but with the clubs still needing to negotiate certain details of the deal. The Spain international has shone in La Liga and also had an impressive Euros with his […]

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Transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has provided his latest update on the Mikel Merino to Arsenal deal, with the Euro 2024 winner keen on the move, but with the clubs still needing to negotiate certain details of the deal.

The Spain international has shone in La Liga and also had an impressive Euros with his country as they won the competition, so it’s easy to see why a big club like Arsenal could be keen to snap him up this summer.

Merino has just a year left on his Real Sociedad contract, so he looks like a fine opportunity for the Gunners, who surely need to think about replacing the ageing and injury-prone Thomas Partey in the near future.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest column for the Daily Briefing, Romano explained why the Merino transfer talk has appeared to go a bit quiet in recent days.

Mikel Merino to Arsenal?

It seems this move could still be on, but it’s now on the clubs to strike a deal, with no formal offers being discussed just yet, just verbal proposals.

Merino transfer to Arsenal latest from Fabrizio Romano

“It’s gone a bit quiet on the Mikel Merino to Arsenal saga in recent days, so I’ve had some fans asking me for an update on the situation,” Romano said.

“For now my understanding is that negotiations continue, it’s still all verbal with no formal bid but for sure Merino is waiting for Arsenal to complete the agreement with Real Sociedad.

“It’s also about payment terms, the structure, more things to follow between the two clubs. Merino wants Arsenal, so it’s just on the clubs now.”

AFC supporters will no doubt hope that this can all be finalised soon, but of course these deals are rarely straightforward, so it might be a little while longer before it’s all wrapped up.

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Mikel Arteta approves €30 million move for 28-year-old midfielder   https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/06/mikel-arteta-approves-e30-million-move-for-28-year-old-midfielder/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/06/mikel-arteta-approves-e30-million-move-for-28-year-old-midfielder/#respond Tue, 06 Aug 2024 11:03:47 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1596807 Mikel Arteta has given the green light to Arsenal’s pursuit of the services of Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino. After once again falling short in the Premier League title race last season, Mikel Arteta is keen on bolstering his squad to ensure they end their wait for the league title. While they have already strengthened […]

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Mikel Arteta has given the green light to Arsenal’s pursuit of the services of Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino.

After once again falling short in the Premier League title race last season, Mikel Arteta is keen on bolstering his squad to ensure they end their wait for the league title. While they have already strengthened their defence by signing Riccardo Calafiori, the North London club are now looking to reinforce their midfield.

They want to bring in a world-class midfielder who can increase the competition for places and more importantly form a dependable partnership with Declan Rice. Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino is at the top of their wishlist and according to a report from AS via SportWitness, the Gunners are preparing to table an offer worth €30 million as Mikel Arteta has approved the move.

Merino has been a mainstay in the Sociedad team since joining them back in 2018. He has been a consistent performer for them over the years. Last season, he was one of their standout performers and he even played a part in Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024. With just 12 months left on his contract, his future has been the talk of the town for a while now.

The 28-year-old doesn’t intend on penning down a new deal and if reports are to be believed, he is keen on returning to the Premier League. Arsenal is his preferred destination and he is waiting for Arteta’s team to put their foot on the accelerator to sign him.

Mikel Merino would be a quality addition

Merino is capable enough to play as a central midfielder as a defensive midfielder. He has all the qualities needed to strengthen the double pivot in front of their backline and Arteta has given the green light to the move. While Sociedad haven’t received any offers for his services yet, Arsenal are preparing a €30 million bid following their manager’s approval.

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Latest twist could see Arsenal decide against signing midfield transfer target https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/05/latest-twist-arsenal-signing-target/ https://www.caughtoffside.com/2024/08/05/latest-twist-arsenal-signing-target/#comments Mon, 05 Aug 2024 09:24:54 +0000 https://www.caughtoffside.com/?p=1596629 Arsenal have been linked with a move for Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Mikel Merino. The Gunners have signed goalkeeper David Raya in a permanent deal this summer and they have managed to signed Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna to add strength and depth to their defense. However, they intend to sign more players as they […]

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Arsenal have been linked with a move for Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder Mikel Merino.

The Gunners have signed goalkeeper David Raya in a permanent deal this summer and they have managed to signed Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna to add strength and depth to their defense.

However, they intend to sign more players as they prepare to challenge Manchester City again for the Premier League title.

The Gunners have failed against Pep Guardiola’s City side in the last two season after finishing second both times.

Although they have closed the gap on the Premier League champions, they are still far from winning the league title.

According to latest reports, Arsenal are sceptical about signing Spain’s Euro 2024 midfielder Merino this summer because of his age.

The 28-year-old was a part of Spain’s Euro 2024 winning side, scoring a crucial goal for them in their quarterfinal win against Germany.

As per Football.London, there is some scepticism about the midfielder’s age in the Arsenal hierarchy.

The Gunners have signed young players under manager Mikel Arteta and their transfer strategy has been clear from day one under this management.

Arteta has focused on younger players who he can mold into his playing style and who have not yet reached their peak.

Mikel Merino Arsenal Real Sociedad
Mikel Merino to Arsenal is not a certainty anymore.

Merino has played a lot of football and at the age of 28, he would represent the Gunners going against their rule of signing young players.

It is clear that Arteta is looking for a midfield partner for Declan Rice as he does not trust Thomas Partey anymore. The former Atletico Madrid man has struggled at the Emirates Stadium because of his form and fitness issues.

Rice was sensational for the North Londoners last season but he needs more support in the midfield and Merino is someone who can provide that but it remains to be seen if they will go ahead with the transfer.

The signings of Rice, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard have all shown that the Gunners are ready to invest in the players with a long term plan.

Arsenal need a midfielder like Mikel Merino in their team

Merino is currently in his peak years as as footballer and at the age of 28, his ability to improve and his longevity is something that is concerning the Gunners.

Arsenal should go ahead with the signing of Merino as the player would provide them experience and bring a much needed quality that is missing in their midfield.

He would help them break opposition’s attacks and provide them strength and physicality in their midfield.

League titles are won with youth and experience and he can provide them experience that they need in their team.

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