The President of the La Liga side, Real Sociedad, Jokin Aperribay has officially confirmed that the club have been in talks with the Premier League side, Arsenal for the transfer of the Euro 2024 star, Mikel Merino, whose future remains in doubt with the Spanish club.
The Spaniard was left out of Sociedad’s opening campaign where the side suffered a defeat at home to Rayo Vallecano 1-2. When asked regarding Merino’s absence the club president revealed that “Mikel wouldn’t be in the squad, because he wishes to leave.”
The Spanish midfielder is on the final year of his contract with the San Sebastian-based club and the club president revealed that he does not want to sign a new deal, as per reports by Xinhua.
“When we met with Mikel to renew his contract, he said that he feels very close to the club, but if a team from the Premier League came, and he named two or three, he wanted to fulfil his dream of going back there and to be successful,” the club President added.
Should Merino’s move to Arsenal materialise, it would not be his first stint in England. Back in the 2017-18 season, the Spanish midfielder was part of Newcastle United’s squad.
The Gunners will look to get the signing done and dusted as they continue their race for a Premier League title where they hope to dethrone Manchester City from their long-standing dominance in England’s top-flight football.
The London-based club is said to have offered about 25 million euros (28 million U.S. dollars), but Real Sociedad are looking for a bigger offer considering that he is one of their key players in the squad.
“We will talk to Arsenal and defend the interests of La Real. When we consider that the offer is good, we will say yes,” concluded Aperribay.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are off to the perfect start in the Premier League after last year’s runners-up took the three points with a 2-0 win in their opening game against Wolverhampton Wanderers. The likes of Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka got on the scoresheet to give the Gunners the victory. Their next game is up against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, their first away game of the season.
(With IANS Inputs)
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