We’re racing into the final week of the summer transfer window, so that means we’re set to see a flurry of deals get over the line. Mikel Merino, moving over from Real Sociedad to Arsenal, is now being finalized as a transfer fee has been agreed. According to ESPN, Arsenal will “pay a fee in the region of an initial £28 million ($36.6m) plus around £4m in add-ons to sign Merino.”
Now all that remains to put the final touches on this deal, he’ll have to pass his medical and sign his contract.
Arsenal at Aston Villa FC FYIs
Kick: Sat. Aug. 24, 5:30pm, Villa Park Birmingham, UK
Preview Material: Team News for Both Sides Starting XI Predictions
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
PL Form: Arsenal W Aston Villa FC W
PL Standing: Arsenal 2nd, 3 pts Aston Villa FC 5th, 3 pts
Google Result Probability: Arsenal 54% Aston Villa FC 22% Draw 24%
???? Mikel Merino to Arsenal, here we go! Verbal agreement in place for Spanish midfielder to join Gunners.
€32m plus €5m add-ons with favorable payment terms. Contract until 2028.
Arsenal were closing in on Merino deal since end of July, Merino only wanted Arsenal.
??????? pic.twitter.com/k0JjCeeBEO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 22, 2024
As you can see from the embedded tweet above, it is indeed “here we go” time for the acquisition of the Spanish midfielder. According to reports, Mikel Merino will sign a four-year deal with an option for a potential fifth year. We’ve covered this move, pretty extensively, already, over at this link.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.