According to The Athletic, Arsenal are likely to part ways with striker Eddie Nketiah to compensate for the arrival of Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.
The Gunners have been regularly linked with Merino over the past few weeks and they have eventually opened talks with Sociedad for his services. Sporting director Edu Gaspar is currently in Spain to broker the deal, but The Athletic claim that the transfer could depend on a significant departure in the coming days.
Arsenal went forward with the signing of Riccardo Calafiori only after reaching a broad agreement with Fulham for Emile Smith Rowe’s exit. The same thing could happen in Merino’s case as well. It is reported that Nketiah could make way for the signing of Merino before the transfer window closes this month.
Matter of time
The Gunners have no issues with the PSR limits at the moment, but they are probably looking to stay on the safer side with another exit. Arsenal can only register 25 players for the Premier League season excluding the Under-21s and manager Mikel Arteta may not want any first-team player being left out of the squad.
Nketiah, who is currently on £100,000 per week, could be sold by the Gunners to free up wages as well as funds for Merino. The Englishman was on the radar of Marseille earlier this month. The Frenchman decided to pull out of negotiations, but the 25-year-old could still leave the club with plenty of interest elsewhere.
Bournemouth have recently entered the race for his signature after selling Dominic Solanke, but there are other clubs in the running too. Arsenal will want to secure the best possible fee for Nketiah’s sale before finalising a transfer agreement for Merino. The Spain international has a £56 million release clause in his contract, but could be signed for a significantly lesser fee, considering he has entered the last year of his deal at the La Liga outfit.
