Arsenal have begun the season with a win. Now, they're pushing ahead with their next signing of the summer.
The Gunners got off to the best possible start, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at home, thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka. Tougher tests lie ahead, however: Aston Villa lie in wait next weekend, with Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and early table-toppers Brighton & Hove Albion all ahead on the horizon.
The need to strengthen is therefore clear. Arsenal have already added Riccardo Calafiori to their backline and are close to completing a deal for Mikel Merino.
Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo have detailed in their Basque section how the move for the midfielder is being “finalised”. Merino has been described as “elegant on and off the pitch,” apparently leaving Real Sociedad graciously.
Basque outlet Noticias de Gipuzkoa last week reported on terms being agreed between player and club, with just the fee to be decided. It appears as if Arsenal struck a breakthrough with Txuri-Urdin over the weekend.
VIDEO Why Arsenal Want Mikel Merino So Badly
Incredibly, incomings at N5 may now be wrapped up. Sporting director Edu Gaspar recently told fans that they would “not be disappointed” with the end to the transfer window – but the club's inability to sell the likes of Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah may prevent a superstar forward from being acquired.
In FourFourTwo's view, Merino is a sensible signing as cover in midfield that we expect to be tied up by the Villa game – though we don't expect the Basque to be thrown in at the deep end and start that one. More signings are certainly dependent on the futures of Nelson and Nketiah, but the window may crank into life late on.
Even a loan for either would suffice. Given that Arsenal have Havertz as first-choice striker with Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard as options, however, we expect any new signing to be a tactically versatile forward able to operate on the flanks.
Transfermarkt currently values Merino at €50 million. His contract expires next summer.
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Arsenal primed to complete the signing of Mikel Merino, following Liverpool withdrawing from the race to sign his clubmate, Martin Zubimendi. Negotiations with Real Sociedad have begun, with an agreement in place with the player. Another target, Wojciech Szczesny, has had his contract terminated at Juventus, while Alan Shearer has tipped Arsenal to beat Manchester City to the Premier League title, so long as they can make one key signing.
In other news, one former Chelsea and Arsenal star has revealed all about working with Wenger and Mourinho. He told FFT, too, that when he played with Arteta, you could see he would definitely be a coach.
