Arsenal close in on signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad – as Eddie Nketiah gets set to join Nottingham Forest for £30m
- Arsenal have been chasing Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino all summer
- The Gunners are closing in on a deal for the Spanish star after further talks
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Arsenal are close to signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad after further talks on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners have been pursuing Merino, 28, all summer and saw their initial bid of £21.5million rejected.
Merino, who previously played for Newcastle, helped Spain to victory at Euro 2024 last month, with the midfielder scoring the winning goal in the quarter-final against Germany (2-1).
The Real Sociedad star has made 242 appearances for the Basque club over the past six years and has earned 28 international caps for La Roja.
Mail Sport reported last week that a £30million bid would be enough to secure the 28-year-old and Arsenal’s sporting director Edu has been in Spain to help speed up negotiations.
Arsenal close in on Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino after further talks on Wednesday
The 28-year-old midfielder Merino was part of the Spanish squad that won the 2024 European Championship this summer
Merino has been a key target for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta all summer
Merino, who has a year left on his contract, was left out of Real Sociedad’s squad for their LaLiga season opener against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, with Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil saying it was “the best solution” amid the transfer rumours.
If the move goes ahead, Merino will become Arsenal’s second signing of the transfer window, following the £42million signing of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna last month.
The progress of the Merino deal comes as Arsenal are on the verge of selling Eddie Nketiah to Nottingham Forest for £30m.
The player, who has just emerged from the Gunners’ academy, has scored 38 goals in 168 games for the club and Mail Sport reported on Monday that Arsenal had rejected Forest’s initial £25million bid.
Gunners striker Eddie Nketiah is also set to make a £30million move to Nottingham Forest
The striker was allowed to leave the Emirates Stadium after falling down the pecking order. Earlier this summer, a move to Marseille also fell through after the French club refused to pay the price demanded by Arsenal.
Meanwhile, midfielder Charlie Patino has left the Gunners for Deportivo La Coruna for £1million plus a hefty sell-on clause.
