Arsenal are set to complete the signing of Mikel Merino after Real Sociedad accepted an offer for the Spain midfielder worth over £32m. Negotiations over a deal for the 28-year-old have been taking place for several weeks with Sociedad president’s insisting Arsenal must match their asking price for Merino.
Jokin Aperribay was understood to have arrived in London for further talks with Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu, on Wednesday, with a breakthrough then reached 24 hours later.
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Arsenal are believed to have agreed to pay £28m up front for the former Newcastle midfielder who had one year of his contract with Sociedad remaining, with another £4.2m in potential bonuses. Merino is expected to sign a four-year deal having been left out of Sociedad’s first game of the season, a 2-1 defeat at home against Real Vallecano on Sunday. He had made no secret of his desire to join Arsenal after rejecting the offer of a new contract.
“Merino was clear that he didn’t want to say he was renewing and then leave. It wasn’t a surprise to us,” said Aperribay. “Unfortunately, one of the teams we didn’t want to show up showed up.”
Arsenal remain in talks with Nottingham Forest over Eddie Nketiah after a £25m offer was rejected last week. They are expected to increase their bid for the 25-year-old striker, who has agreed personal terms for a move to the City Ground, with Arsenal likely to accept £30m.
Wolves have also made an offer to take goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on loan, with Espanyol’s Joan García mooted as his replacement should the England goalkeeper leave.