Arsenal are reportedly expecting to complete the signing of Mikel Merino in the next 24 hours.
The Gunners have already welcomed the arrivals of Riccardo Calafiori and David Raya so far this summer, and Mikel Arteta has made it clear that he would like to strengthen his midfield before the transfer window closes.
Real Sociedad star Merino was quickly identified as Arsenal’s top target and negotiations with the La Liga outfit have been ongoing since the conclusion of Euro 2024, when the midfielder returned from helping Spain to victory.
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According to GiveMeSport, Arsenal believe that they are finally making ‘significant progress’ in talks with La Real over the weekend.
The Emirates Stadium outfit are claimed to believe that they could wrap up a deal within the next 24 hours (from Monday morning) as they feel that Real Sociedad are ‘close’ to approving the current offer on the table.
Once given the green light, Arsenal are expected to accelerate the process by wrapping up the negotiations and having Merino complete his medical with the club as soon as possible. They are hopeful that he will be available for this weekend’s clash with Aston Villa.
The 28-year-old did not feature for Real Sociedad on Sunday night when they were beaten 2-1 by Rayo Vallecano. Speaking on the decision to leave Merino out of his squad, manager Imanol Alguacil said: “I’ve left Merino out of the squad as there are talks with other clubs… and this is the best solution now.”
The midfielder has reportedly been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that he stays fit ahead of his desired move to the Premier League, with suggestions being made that his physical attributes could see him thrown in at the deep end with a cameo against Villa.
Arteta is claimed to have been in contact with Merino throughout the negotiations, providing the Euro 2024 winner with guidance on training drills that he can complete independently to ensure that he is primed to hit the ground running in the Premier League.
Real Sociedad have insisted that they would only part ways with Merino if their £40million asking price is met, but the Gunners have been negotiating a lesser fee which they believe should now be enough to get a deal over the line.
