Arsenal agree deal in principle to sign Merino

Arsenal person agreed a woody successful rule worthy up to 38.5m euros (£32.67m) to motion Spain midfielder Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.

The interest is an first 33.5m euros (£28.43m), positive 5m euros (£4.24m) euros successful add-ons.

Merino was portion of nan Spain squad that won Euro 2024 and featured successful each 7 matches successful nan tournament, scoring a precocious victor against Germany successful nan quarter-final.

The 28-year-old has little than a twelvemonth remaining connected his statement astatine La Liga broadside Real Sociedad.

Merino would beryllium Arsenal's 3rd signing of nan transportation window, aft Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori and Spain goalkeeper David Raya, pinch nan Gunners activating nan action to permanently bargain him from Brentford.

He tin run arsenic a deeper-lying midfielder and it is thought he would complement Declan Rice, who played a 'box-to-box' domiciled astatine times past season.

He would besides supply Arsenal leader Mikel Arteta pinch different action to compete pinch Rice, Jorginho, Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard successful midfield.

Merino has erstwhile acquisition of nan Premier League, having spent a twelvemonth astatine Newcastle earlier moving to Real Sociedad successful 2018, wherever he played alongside Odegaard successful 2019-20 erstwhile nan Norwegian was connected indebtedness from Real Madrid.

Merino, who has 28 caps for Spain, made 45 appearances successful each competitions past season, scoring 8 goals.