Arsenal have now reached an agreement to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino, after weeks of negotiations.
Merino has been a consistent figure for Real Sociedad since moving from Newcastle in 2018, and he impressed as Spain triumphed in Euro 2024.
The 28-year-old has been targeted to strengthen Arsenal’s midfield options, and he will bring a wealth of experience and a lot of quality to make an instant impact.
The Spaniard only had one year left on his deal at Real Sociedad, and after refusing to extend his deal, several clubs expressed their interest in him. However, Merino only had eyes for Arsenal, and fans have Mikel Arteta to thank.
Mikel Arteta’s crucial role in Mikel Merino Arsenal deal
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed the role Arteta played in the deal to take Merino to Arsenal on an initial three-year deal.
“Mikel Arteta has been crucial also for Merino’s move to Arsenal. Positive talks with the player, Merino had at least two more proposals but he’s been clear: only Arsenal. He’s set to travel for medical, signing until 2028 + option,” he posted on X.
It was previously reported that Atletico Madrid and Barcelona wanted Merino, so for Arteta to convince the Spaniard to turn down offers from two of Spain’s biggest clubs is quite the coup.
Mikel Arteta’s transfer pull secured Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino deals
Both Riccardo Calafiori and Merino had other offers from huge clubs in their respective countries, and Arsenal have suffered before in similar situations, with Manuel Locatelli previously choosing Juventus over a move to London.
However, Arteta’s influence at the club is clearly impressing players across Europe, with the opportunity to play under him now a key factor in transfer moves.
Some of Arteta’s bizarre methods have been questioned at times, but he has built a title-challenging team at Arsenal, and these new signings could be the difference in the title race over the course of the season.
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