Fabrizio Romano claims Mikel Arteta 'would love' to have Euro 2024 winner at Arsenal amid recent transfer links
Fabrizio Romano has issued an update on Arsenal's links with Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino. According to the Italian, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta is keen on adding the Euro 2024 winner to the squad.
Further, he suggested that Merino was looking forward to moving to the Emirates as well. Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano said:
“He knows that Mikel Arteta is a big fan. Mikel Arteta has been very influential this summer for Arsenal. He was pushing a lot to have Calafiori, now, similar with Merino, he is another player he would love to have at the club."
“And so the player is keen, very keen on the move. Now it depends on the clubs when they can reach an agreement on the package and on the structure of the deal.”
Arsenal will be keen to make the right additions to a squad that has come close to winning the Premier League for two seasons in a row now. They began by adding Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori for a reported £42 million.
Merino would join an already talented midfield, boasting the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Jorginho. The 28-year-old is expected to be a replacement for Thomas Partey, who has just a year left on his contract. The Spaniard's ability to play a deeper role could help Arteta play Rice in a more advanced role, adding more dynamism to the side.
The midfielder was a key player for Real Sociedad last season, bagging eight goals and five assists in 45 games. He also played a key role for Spain in the Euros, notably scoring a goal in extra time against Germany in the quarterfinal and helping La Roja win the trophy.
Arsenal could use star in goalkeeper swap to sign transfer target from Wolves: Reports
Arsenal are looking to use Aaron Ramsdale in a swap deal to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Dan Bentley. According to talkSPORT, the two sides may indulge in talks to satisfy their needs.
The 26-year-old has firmly become the Gunners' second option with Mikel Arteta preferring to use David Raya between the sticks. He is keen on leaving the club in search of first-team opportunities after making just one start in the league since December.
Arsenal are keen to add Bentley to satisfy their homegrown quota, while Wolves are looking to move away from current goalkeeper Jose Sa. Other clubs including Nottingham Forest and Southampton have also expressed interest in Ramsdale.