Arsenal are pushing to complete the signing of Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, and Imanol Alguacil confirmed the Gunners’ pursuit of the player on Sunday.
Alguacil had left Merino out of his squad to face Rayo Vallecano, and Sociedad went on to lose the match 2-1. But the manager said they can’t use their outgoing players as excuses.
“Merino and Le Normand? There are no two players like them,” Alguacil began.
“They are irreplaceable players. Because of what they have done, we are talking about Le Normand leaving, Arsenal want Merino and Liverpool were willing to pay the release clause for Zubimendi.
“But we cannot always look for an excuse when Merino and Le Normand are not there if things don’t work out for us.”
Fabrizio Romano reported on Sunday that Merino’s move from Real Sociedad to Arsenal is now just about the final details of a deal, and that we could see a full agreement within two days.
The two clubs are already in agreement on the fee, having spent time working on the payment terms, deal structure, and add-ons in the last few weeks. Now it’s just a case of finalising the last details of the transfer.
Romano added that Merino can’t wait to play for Mikel Arteta, and he believes that Arsenal is the perfect place for him to be.
David Ornstein confirmed this week that Arsenal were stepping up efforts to sign Merino, with talks ongoing and Edu Gaspar travelling to Spain to pursue an agreement.
Ornstein added that Arsenal were confident of a positive resolution, with Merino himself keen to join and personal terms not thought to be an issue.
Sociedad offered Merino a new contract to try and convince him to stay, but his representatives made it clear that he wants to join Arsenal.
Merino made 45 appearances for Sociedad last season, scoring eight goals and assisting a further five. He then joined up with Spain on international duty, featuring throughout Euro 2024 as his team ended up winning the trophy.