TRANSFER REPORT: David Ornstein shares the latest on Arsenal and Mikel Merino transfer talks

Arsenal is looking to make a second big deal this summer. They have already completed the signing of one player.

The Gunners didn’t make their first summer deal until late July, when they signed Riccardo Calafiori.

Now, Arsenal is set on getting a new defender for the Emirates Stadium, and they’re putting a lot of pressure on one player in particular.

Michael Merino is a star player for Real Sociedad and Spain. He has done great things for both teams in recent years.

David Ornstein of The Athletic has now written a new article about how things are going between Arsenal and Merino.

Arsenal is trying to get Mikel Merino while Edu is in Spain.
Ornstein told X that Arsenal is now putting in more effort to sign Merino from Sociedad.

Talks are still going on, and Gunners director Edu went to Spain this week to try to reach a deal with the Liga club.

Ornstein also said that Merino shouldn’t have any problems with personal terms.

The reporter did say, though, that Arsenal is likely to trade a player so they can get Merino.

Ornstein also said that this could happen before or after a deal for the 28-year-old player is finalised.

But it looks like the Gunners are set on making this deal happen, and talks are still going on.

Arsenal is trying to get the “type of midfielder Arteta would make in a lab.” They need to improve their middle this summer, especially since Emile Smith Rowe was sold to Fulham and Albert Sambi Lokonga went on loan.

Today, it looks like the Gunners are making good work towards signing Merino. Merino has a great record for both his club and his country.

Merino has done great things with Spain throughout his career. He won Euro 2024, the Nations Cup, two Euros as an under-21 player, the Spanish Cup with Sociedad, and the German Cup with Borussia Dortmund.

A new article in The Guardian calls Merino the “type of midfielder Arteta would create in a lab if given the chance” in terms of the way he plays.

They also said, “He is tough to press, creative, aggressive, and most of all, a duel-winning machine. Last season, Merino won more aerial duels (168) than any other midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues.”

Like Rice, who Arsenal bought for about £105 million last summer, Merino is a very rounded midfielder.

“He can lead the press as a No. 8 and step forward, like Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard often does. But he can also defend deep as a No. 6 when needed, either by himself or with another player.”