Arsenal's Mikel Merino transfer proving tough to pull off

There had been hope that after completing the £42m signing of Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal would work efficiently to get a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino over the line.

It was clear that the club would prioritise a midfield addition after officially securing Calafiori's services on 29 July, with Fabrizio Romano among the transfer gurus to suggest that Merino, a Euro 2024 winner with Spain, was their guy.

With the player keen on the move and having just a year left of his Sociedad contract, it seemed as if the Gunners would be able to strike a deal and get Merino in without much hassle. But, as we know, this transfer lark is never as simple as it might appear.

If Arsenal are to bring the Spaniard in, Edu Gaspar and company are going to have to work for it. Sociedad are digging in.

Arsenal's Mikel Merino transfer proving not so easy to pull off

There were initial reports that a fee in the region of €30m would be enough for Sociedad to part ways with Merino this summer. However, the Independent's Miguel Delaney writes that the Spanish club are instead hoping to claim €35m from the midfielder's sale.

Delaney adds that while Merino wants to leave San Sebastian in favour of north London, having made his desires clear to other potential suitors, Arsenal and Sociedad have so far worked at a snail's pace in negotiations.

The Gunners, at this point, don't want to pay any more than €25m and would prefer to spread this fee over three years. Sociedad, understandably, want much of the cash up front.

However, the Spanish club don't have much leverage if Merino refuses to extend his contract with the club. They risk losing him for nothing next year if an agreement can't be reached with a buyer this summer. Martin Zubimendi's decision to reject Liverpool in favour of a Sociedad stay will hopefully soften their stance over Merino.

There's potential for this deal to drag on and reach a conclusion closer to the end of the transfer window which could limit Arsenal should they want to conduct further business. While Merino would be a fine addition to an already toweringly physical squad, his signing in isolation will surely not be enough for Arsenal to usurp Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table next season.

We're willing to be patient, but Edu would be leaving the club short by merely adding Merino and Calafiori to Arteta's squad this summer. There has to be a move for a frontline signing, too, right?

The clock is ticking.

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