Arsenal confirm Mikel Merino signing to bring end to long-running transfer pursuit

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Spain international Mikel Merino.

The Gunners had been locked in talks with Real Sociedad for weeks following the midfielder’s return from winning Euro 2024 in Germany and finally struck an agreement with the LaLiga side late last week.

Merino will cost Arsenal an initial £27.4million, with a further £4.2m due in add-ons. He has signed an initial four-year contract in north London that includes the option for a further 12 months, having travelled to the UK over the weekend to undergo a medical.

Arsenal’s interest in the 28-year-old dates back to long before this summer’s European Championship and Merino is seen as the ideal player to operate as a No8 under Mikel Arteta.

Arteta wants physically imposing players to help topple title rivals and reigning champions Manchester City at the Premier League summit, an area in which Merino excels after recording the most duels won by any player in Europe’s top five leagues last season.

The former Newcastle man becomes the club’s second major signing this summer, following Italian international defender Riccardo Calafiori, who joined from Serie A club Bologna for £42m last month.

Arsenal would still like to sign a new forward before Friday night’s 11pm BST transfer deadline and also spent £27m to convert goalkeeper David Raya’s successful season-long loan move from London rivals Brentford into a permanent arrangement.

Merino could make his debut for the Gunners at home to Brighton on Saturday as they look to continue their 100 per cent start to the new Premier League season at the Emirates Stadium, having already recorded wins over Wolves and Aston Villa respectively.

Sociedad did not want to lose such a key asset, but eventually decided to sell with Merino having rejected the offer of an extension to his contract at Anoeta that had been due to expire next summer.

The former Osasuna and Borussia Dortmund midfielder made 242 total appearances for the club after joining from Newcastle in 2018, scoring 27 goals and registering 30 assists.

He was a key part of the Spain group that won Euro 2024 this summer, scoring a crucial last-gasp extra-time winner against hosts Germany in the quarter-finals. He came on as a late substitute in the 2-1 victory over England in the final in Berlin.

Follow all the latest Arsenal transfer news and rumours as the deadline looms

There could be more exits from Arsenal before Friday’s transfer deadline, with striker Eddie Nketiah expected to join Crystal Palace for £30m after Fabio Vieira returned to Porto on loan and Charlie Patino joined Deportivo La Coruna on a permanent deal.

Aaron Ramsdale is still attracting interest from the likes of Ajax, Southampton, Wolves and Bournemouth, while Arsenal would need to sign a new back-up goalkeeper if he were to leave.

Joan Garcia of Espanyol would be their preferred target, with the Gunners also wanting a homegrown option to serve as their No3 goalkeeper after a previous move for Wolves’ Dan Bentley failed.