Real Sociedad Stands Firm in Mikel Merino Transfer Deal with Arsenal
- Arsenal is close to signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.
- However, Real Sociedad is not willing to lower their valuation of the player.
- The negotiation is ongoing despite Merino being left out of the squad for a recent match.
Arsenal is reportedly making significant progress in their pursuit of midfielder Mikel Merino, although Real Sociedad remains firm on their valuation of the Euro 2024 winner. Merino was notably absent from Sociedad's squad during their recent La Liga defeat to Rayo Vallecano, raising speculation about his future. Sociedad's president, Aperribay, indicated that while Arsenal has expressed interest, the club will only consider a sale if the offer meets their expectations. Aperribay revealed that during a recent trip to Japan, he was informed by Sporting Director Olabe about Arsenal's approach for Merino. He emphasized the importance of the offer being satisfactory before any decision is made. The situation is further complicated by Sociedad's previous success in fending off Liverpool's interest in another player, Martin Zubimendi, suggesting that they are not in a rush to part with their key assets. Despite the ongoing negotiations, Aperribay acknowledged the impact of Merino and fellow player Le Normand's absence on the team's performance. He noted that while the team showed improvement in certain areas during the match against Rayo Vallecano, they still struggled to create clear scoring opportunities. As Arsenal continues to pursue Merino, the outcome of these discussions remains to be seen, with fans eager to see if he will become the club's latest signing.