DONE DEAL: “Celebrations at the Emirates—It Was Absolutely Worth the Wait!” After a lengthy year of anticipation, Arsenal has finally signed a £39M replacement for Granit Xhaka.

Arsenal is preparing to pay a significant sum upfront to secure a key transfer target, diverging from the typical instalment-based payments seen in modern transfer deals. In many cases, clubs spread a £30 million fee over ten years, paying £3 million annually.

However, Arsenal is ready to pay the entire asking price immediately to secure their target for Mikel Arteta.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal is willing to pay Real Sociedad their €30 million (£25.2 million) asking price for Mikel Merino in full.

This offer is particularly appealing to Real Sociedad, who are resigned to losing Merino after he rejected a new contract. This willingness to pay the full amount upfront makes Arsenal the frontrunner, as Barcelona can only afford staggered payments.

Although the Spain international has not yet decided on his next club, Real Sociedad prefers Arsenal for financial reasons. Mundo Deportivo also reported that Arsenal has made Merino a life-changing contract offer to entice him to the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Merino, praised as a “world-class footballer” by Kieran Tierney, made 45 appearances for Real Sociedad in all competitions last season, scoring eight goals and providing five assists.

He also scored a 119th-minute winner at UEFA Euro 2024 to knock Germany out in the quarter-finals, with Spain eventually winning the tournament.

While Merino still needs to agree to join Arsenal, the Gunners are currently in a strong position ahead of Barcelona. Barcelona, focused on signing Nico Williams from Athletic Bilbao, is prepared to spend their entire budget on him this summer.

If Arsenal can convince Merino to join, the deal could progress quickly, with Real Sociedad pleased by the Gunners’ plan to pay the £25.2 million asking price upfront.

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