'Agreement in place' - Arsenal close in on £25m second summer transfer signing

Arsenal are said to be ‘closing in’ on securing their second summer transfer days after welcoming Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori to the Emirates Stadium.

While the 22-year-old centre-back joins the squad out in pre-season training in Philadelphia, Mikel Arteta is said to be close to adding Real Sociedad’s Mikel Merino to the ranks. The 28-year-old midfielder is said to want the move with the two parties having advanced discussions upon a fee of €30m (£25m).

Writing on Twitter, Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed: “Arsenal are closing in on Mikel Merino deal as verbal agreement is now getting closer. Agreement in place on personal terms as Merino wants the move. Verbal discussions with Real Sociedad for package in excess of €30m, talks on to get the deal done.”

Reports from Spain also note that the fee is set to include add-ons and the announcement will be made imminently. Real Sociedad are said to have already moved quickly to bring in Merino’s replacement with Paris Saint-Germain’s Carlos Soler being a key target.

While the deal comes after weeks of transfer speculation, to have secured a European Champion aged 28 for just £25m represents an exceptionally shrewd piece of business from the Gunners. Merino is now set to partner up with either Declan Rice or Martin Odegaard - his former teammate at the Reale Arena - in the midfield with the 28-year-old able to play in both the number 6 or number 8 roles.

The Pamplona-born midfielder is no stranger to the Premier League having played for Newcastle United in the 2017-18 season. He returned to Spain, however, in 2018 and has gone on to make 190 La Liga appearances for the club. In the 2023/24 season Merino won the most duels for possession in Europe’s top leagues at 326.

He also won the most aerial duels (168) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues and while Arsenal fans will undoubtedly be excited for his arrival, many will surely hope the club’s attention can then turn to securing an out-and-out striker - a potential signing that has dominated so much of this transfer season’s speculation.