Arsenal reach agreement to sign £25m midfielder Mikel Merino

Arsenal are on the brink of finalising a €30 million (£25.3m) deal with Real Sociedad for Mikel Merino, according to reports in Spain.

The Gunners started the transfer window by wrapping up a permanent deal for goalkeeper David Raya and followed that up by signing Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna for £42m.

Mikel Arteta is also keen to strengthen his midfield options and last season’s Premier League runners-up have reportedly held talks with Paris Saint-Germain for Fabian Ruiz.

But according to Relevo, Arsenal are in the advanced stages of signing another one of Spain’s Euro 2024 stars as Merino is close to a move to the Premier League.

The report claims that Arsenal and Real Sociedad have agreed an initial €30m (£25.3m) fee plus add-ons for Merino and an announcement is expected within the next few days.

Arsenal have also agreed personal terms with Merino, with Relevo claiming that the 28-year-old has already spoken multiple times with Arteta about joining the club.

Real Sociedad are already planning for Merino’s departure and are in talks to sign PSG midfielder Carlos Soler.

Merino, who is in the final year of his contract with Real Sociedad, has also attracted strong interest from Barcelona.

Speaking this week, Real Sociedad’s president, Jokin Aperribay, opened the door for Merino to leave the club.

‘I think Mikel has been very honest with Real. He has had a renewal offer for a year and if he hasn’t renewed it’s because he didn’t want to tell the Real fans that I’m staying and then leaving, and I think that speaks well of him,’ Jokin Aperribay said.

‘I would like him not to leave, we all would, but if he tells us that he accepts one of the offers he has on the table and wants us to negotiate, we will do so.

‘We know he has them, and we also know them. But at the moment we continue to hope that Mikel Merino stays at Real.

‘We would like it to be his decision, but if it is not, we will try to negotiate a better way for him to leave Real Sociedad.’

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