Arsenal have already agreed personal terms with Merino who is on course to become their third major signing of the summer. David Raya (£27m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£42m) were major arrivals one and two.
Merino, 28, has been earmarked as the perfect foil for Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in a high-powered midfield three.
Kai Havertz was often deployed in midfield during the first half of last season, though the German has since proven a revelation in the striker position.
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently reported Arsenal and Real Sociedad had reached a broad agreement on the overall figure Merino will cost. Reports elsewhere pointed to a €35m/£29.8m sum.
However, the exact structure and payment terms within the deal were yet to be ironed out.
According to a fresh update from Radio Marca, Real Sociedad president, Jokin Aperribay arrived in England on Wednesday ahead of finalising Merino’s sale to Arsenal.
Taking to X, their reporter stated: ‘Aperribay is in London to negotiate Merino’s final exit.
‘The parties have agreed to meet today [(Wednesday) to finish the negotiations.
‘Mikel’s contract with Arsenal would be for four or five years depending on the final amortisation of the transfer.’
Eddie Nketiah sale ‘close’ – David Ornstein
Elsewhere, Arsenal are closing in on selling striker Eddie Nketiah to Nottingham Forest.
Nketiah is surplus to requirements given the monumental impact Havertz has made in the centre-forward position. Gabriel Jesus is the primary back-up, leaving Nketiah out in the cold.
Arsenal are open to selling and have already seen a transfer to Marseille fall through after the French side baulked at the Gunners’ £30m-plus demands. Bournemouth too showed interest, though ultimately signed Evanilson from FC Porto instead.
However, Arsenal have stuck to their guns regarding their valuation and appear to have found a buyer in the form of Nottingham Forest.
Forest have already seen their opening bid worth £25m (add-ons included) turned down. However, talks between Forest and Arsenal have continued and per the Athletic’s David Ornstein, an agreement is ‘close.’
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side do have a plan B in the form of Feyenoord frontman Santiago Gimenez.
But Nketiah is Forest’s preferred option from the pair and Feyenoord have made it clear a deal for Gimenez will cost Forest far more than it will to sign Nketiah.
Furthermore, Gimenez is not agitating for a move, thus ensuring Feyenoord are in a strong bargaining position.
The end result is Forest are ramping up their pursuit of Nketiah and Arsenal’s patience in waiting for a suitor to meet their asking price looks like it will pay off.
Personal terms between Forest and Nketiah aren’t yet in place. However, talks on the subject are also ongoing.
Furthermore, TEAMtalk understands Forest are willing to match or at the very least come close to matching the £120,000-a-week salary Nketiah currently earns at Arsenal.
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