July 24th 2024.
Mikel Arteta seems to be on the verge of landing his desired player as reports suggest that Barcelona is giving up on their pursuit of midfielder Mikel Merino. The 28-year-old, who currently plays for Real Sociedad, is one of Arsenal's top targets for the summer transfer season. Arteta is keen on bolstering his midfield options ahead of the upcoming Premier League season.
Merino's contract with Real Sociedad is set to expire next year, and both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have been eager to keep him in La Liga. However, recent reports from Spain indicate that Merino has no interest in moving to the Spanish capital, and now Barcelona's hopes of signing him are also fading fast. It seems that Merino's future is now likely to lie with Arsenal, with a move to Barcelona's Camp Nou becoming 'almost impossible.'
The only scenario that could revive Barcelona's chances of signing Merino is if they can offload Frenkie de Jong this summer. However, this seems unlikely as the Dutchman is one of the club's top earners and still has two years left on his contract. Additionally, it has been reported that Merino would come at a modest fee of around €25million, making him an attractive option for Arsenal.
Merino, who is currently enjoying his summer break after Spain's success in the Euros, has previously played for Newcastle United before returning to Spain in 2018. Arsenal typically focuses on young players for their squad, but Arteta is impressed with Merino's abilities and physicality, making him an exception to their usual transfer strategy.
In addition to Merino, Arsenal is also close to finalizing a deal for Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna. The 22-year-old is expected to undergo his medical in the US, where Arsenal's pre-season campaign will kick off. Arteta has expressed the need for the club to 'upgrade' their squad in order to compete with Manchester City, who narrowly beat them to the Premier League title last season.
Speaking from the US, Arteta emphasized the importance of striving for perfection in order to win the Premier League. He stated that the club needs to improve in every aspect to keep up with the high standards set by their competitors. Arsenal fans can look forward to more news, exclusives, and analysis by signing up for updates on their official website, which is protected by reCAPTCHA and Google's Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
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