According to the latest report from the authoritative Spanish sports media "As", the transfer of Mikel Merino is expected to make decisive progress in the next 48 hours. Arsenal FC has shown great interest in the talented Spanish midfielder, and Merino himself has made it clear to current owners Real Sociedad that he wants to move.
Reports suggest that after a long tug-of-war of negotiations, Arsenal and Real Sociedad are set to restart their dialog by the end of this week, focusing on the details of Arsenal's second offer for Merino. Arsenal's first offer contained a fixed transfer fee of €30 million and a €5 million floating clause, but the offer has been rejected by the Real Sociedad side. Considering that Merino's contract is set to expire in 2025 and his release clause is as high as €60 million, Real Sociedad appeared to be quite tough in the negotiations.
However, as the negotiations between the two sides deepen, some positive signals are emerging. The contractual framework between Merino and Arsenal has basically been agreed upon, and the next key lies in the final amount of the transfer fee as well as details such as the duration of the contract. In order to facilitate the deal, Arsenal may choose to raise the offer to meet the psychological expectations of Real Sociedad.
Merino is still in regular training with Real Sociedad and preparing for his La Liga debut this Sunday. Despite his desire to move to Arsenal, he has not forced his way out of the team out of respect for the team and a sense of duty to the fans. Instead, he expressed to manager Alguacil his willingness to fully support the team until the transfer is finalized.
Real Sociedad president Aperibe has also gone on record as saying that they are willing to negotiate with the clubs named by Merino, emphasizing that the next 48 hours will be decisive. Arsenal, on the other hand, are remaining optimistic and are making every effort to reach a final agreement with Real Sociedad before this Sunday's La Liga kick-off in order to avoid Merino playing in the match.
