Arsenal are yet to spent particularly heavily in this summer transfer window.
David Raya’s loan move from Brentford was converted to a permanent switch, and Arsenal have secured the signing of Riccardo Calafiori. Beyond those deals, though, no other incoming first team business has been done.
Mikel Arteta is still keen to add to his squad in a number of areas. Perhaps most pressing is the need to bolster his midfield contingent. Jorginho has shown signs of decline in pre-season, whilst Thomas Partey can never be relied upon to remain fit and valuable for an extended period.
Declan Rice needs support in the middle of the park. As such, Arsenal are seeking to sign Mikel Merino. However, this has been an ongoing saga for some weeks, and the Gunners still aren’t particularly close to getting a deal for the Real Sociedad man over the line.
In terms of outgoings, there is more to do as well. There is uncertainty over the future of Eddie Nketiah. The striker’s proposed move to Marseille has collapsed, but Bournemouth have now come forward as a suitor for his services.
Bournemouth will pay Nketiah’s asking price, but that will not necessarily impact the Gunners’ ability to sign Merino, as the two issues are not directly connected.
Do Arsenal need to sell Eddie Nketiah to sign Mikel Merino?
According to football finance expert Adam Williams, speaking exclusively to Arsenal Insider: “Merino’s £20-25m price tag is perfectly viable for Arsenal. It seems as though his wages are relatively modest too.
“The club will, of course, have their own internal budget. That is a different matter – and that theoretically might mean they have to generate cash from player sales before they buy. But that is speculation at this point, and I personally don’t see anything that is stopping them from spending money.
“It seems like the Kroenke regime have moved to a less conservative model in terms of recruitment in recent seasons… They now want to capitalise on the momentum they have gathered under Arteta and Edu.”
Stan Kroenke is the majority shareholder of Arsenal, and his son, Josh Kroenke, is a director at the club with a more hands-on role. He has worked closely with Arteta and Edu to oversee the Gunners’ progress on the pitch and behind-the-scenes.
Williams continued: “Cost control has been good. Their wage bill has stayed at roughly the same level for the last five or so years, while amortisation – that’s how clubs account for transfer fees over a period of time – has risen but not dramatically.
“So, essentially, I think Arsenal are in a strong position to spend. I would be surprised if we didn’t see a few more deals completed before the close of the window – irrespective of what happens with Nketiah and others.”
What is delaying Arsenal deal for Mikel Merino?
Multiple factors are currently preventing the Gunners from getting a deal for the Euro 2024 winner over the line.
For a start, Arsenal haven’t met Merino’s asking price yet, as Real Sociedad are pushing to get the biggest fee they can for the player, despite the fact that he will be out of contract next summer and available then as a free agent, as he has no intention of penning a new deal with the La Liga outfit.
On top of that, there are those in the Arsenal hierarchy who doubt Merino, and do not share Arteta’s confidence that he is the player that the Gunners need.
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