Arsenal are believed to be interested in the £160,000-a-week player with Real Sociedad star Mikel Merino heavily linked, with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta keen.
Arsenal are planning a summer move for Mikel Merino
Widespread reports from England and Spain have said the north Londoners have their eyes on Merino to improve Arteta's squad, coming after Mohamed Elneny left on a free and amid the uncertain future of Thomas Partey.
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The Gunners could reunite their captain with his former teammate.
Partey's contract expires in less than 11 months and it has been suggested he could leave Arsenal this summer, after making just 14 Premier League appearances last season. Should the Ghanaian leave, Arteta will need another midfielder to replace him.
The club wanted to extend Jorginho's contract by another year to give Arteta a partner for Declan Rice in 2024/2025, but another talented body is needed in that position as Arsenal look to challenge Man City in another Premier League title race.
Merino, who is available for around £20 million as his Sociedad contract expires next year, has emerged as a target for the midfielder. Sam Dean of The Telegraph claims Arsenal are planning to sign Merino in the coming weeks, with the 28-year-old fresh off the back of an excellent Euro 2024 campaign with Spain.
The former Newcastle United midfielder scored the winner against hosts Germany in their 2-1 quarter-final win and played a key role in their run to glory in their defeat to England last Sunday.
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Mikel Merino's statistics in all competitions for Real Sociedad last season |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearance |
45 |
|
Goals |
8 |
|
It helps |
5 |
|
Booking |
14 |
|
Minutes played |
3,601 |
|
Transfermarkt |
|
Merino also made 45 appearances in all competitions for Sociedad last season, scoring eight goals and assisting five more in that time, and his potential has alerted a number of Europe's top clubs.
It won't be easy for Arsenal sporting director Edu to make a quick deal, with the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid believed to be targeting Merino.
Arsenal are interested in signing Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes
According to GiveMeSport, regarding Merino's potential alternatives, Newcastle United's £160,000-a-week star Bruno Guimaraes has fans at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are apparently interested in signing Guimaraes and Arteta is a “big” fan, but there are doubts whether a deal can be done given the potential cost of action as the Brazilian's release clause has expired.
“He was brilliant. He deserved it [player of the match]. He scored two amazing goals. His performance all around, I thought, was very good,” said Alan Shearer in Guimaraes after his performance in the Magpies' 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest earlier this year.
“Everything good about Newcastle, he was at the heart of it. That he was keeping the ball, defending the ball, he added that little quality with his passing, his movement, his ability to find space that a lot of others couldn't.
“He has a good relationship with the fans and rightly so. He is a lovely man and a very good footballer.”
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