Arsenal have been handed a late bid to sign the £42 million striker by manager Mikel Arteta, with fellow scout Rio Ferdinand calling it “unbelievable”.
Arsenal are scouring the transfer market for a new striker after the Merino deal
The Gunners are believed to be open to bringing in a new attacker before the transfer window closes on August 31, so their £32 million deal for Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad may not be the last piece of their summer business.
The Spaniard was officially confirmed as Edu Gaspar and fellow new arrivals earlier this week, with Merino penning a long-term deal after impressing for Sociedad last season and his country at Euro 2024.
Merino scored eight goals and assisted five in 45 games in all competitions last season, and played a part in Spain's Euro triumph in Germany, the midfielder made a promise to supporters in an interview with Arsenal's official website.
“I think that's a big part of my game and that shows the character I have,” said Merino of his impressive record of winning duels.
“I want to fight for every ball and this is something I learned when I was really young. Maybe you can win it, or not. I don't promise that I will win every competition, but what I promise is that I will fight for every ball 100 percent.
“It's always difficult to talk about myself with those kinds of words, but I think I'm a hard worker, I want to call myself a good teammate. I like to work for the team with or without the ball. I always think about the game part. I like to play football, I have a Spanish football tradition.”
Arsenal had been targeting Merino's former team-mate Martin Zubimendi before signing the Newcastle United ace as a replacement, with £32m looking like good value.
|
Mikel Merino's average stats per 90 minutes during the 2023/24 campaign compared to Martin Zubimendi. |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Mikel Merino |
Martin Zubimendi |
|
|
The discovery of the ball |
7.14 |
5.73 |
|
Fighting |
2.79 |
1.66 |
|
Erasure |
1.99 |
1.83 |
|
Blocks |
1.30 |
1.12 |
|
Shots |
1.09 |
0.75 |
|
Goals |
0.18 |
0.14 |
|
It helps |
0.11 |
0.03 |
|
Statistics correct as of 15/07/2024 |
||
Following their move for Merino, it is believed that Arsenal could be looking to bring in a new striker, with Bayern Munich midfielder Kingsley Coman linked last week.
Arsenal have offered to sign Kingsley Coman
According to GiveMeSport and reporter Dean Jones, Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Coman this summer, with less details than what was shared in the report.
It has been suggested elsewhere that the Frenchman would cost around £42 million to sign for Bayern, while Fabrizio Romano says Coman is “one to watch” in the late transfer window.
Although the 28-year-old has played precious few minutes under Vincent Kompany so far this season, he has big-game experience and a high level of quality, with coach Ferdinand calling him “unbelievable”.
“He was at PSG as an eight-year-old boy,” said Ferdinand to Coman in 2020. “With the money that came in with Qatar, he is one of the players who were expelled and has come back to do this. Taking away his title since he left – it should not be allowed. It's unbelievable. A child can win. .”
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