Arsenal finalise details of new signing, player could be registered in time for Brighton match

Arsenal are reportedly finalising the details of Mikel Merino’s transfer and it is possible the Gunners could even sign him in time to field him against Brighton at the weekend.

Arsenal will face Brighton at the Emirates Stadium in Saturday’s Premier League kick-off, as Mikel Arteta’s side look to build on their strong start with two wins from their opening two games.

It would undoubtedly be beneficial to include Merino in the mix, giving Arsenal more options in midfield. It seems likely that the transfer of the Spain international could be formally completed by then, although at the time of writing no announcement has been made.

See below for details from Sky Sports…

Arsenal finalise details of Mikel Merino’s move from Real Sociedad?

Merino is expected to have signed up by Friday afternoon at the latest, so he can play against Brighton on Saturday. photo.twitter.com/H8euMaNeoh

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) August 27, 2024

Merino shone for Real Sociedad last season and also impressed with the Spanish national team at Euro 2024 earlier this summer, so he should be a good addition to Arsenal.

Gunners fans are eager to see the 28-year-old in action as soon as possible, but it remains to be seen whether Arteta believes the player will be ready to take the pitch this weekend.

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Merino arrives at Arsenal without having had a full pre-season with the club, so he may have to wait until he has played a few games as there will undoubtedly be a period of acclimatisation.

Ultimately, it will be interesting to see how AFC line up in midfield, as Merino will have to compete with the likes of Declan Rice, Thomas Partey and Jorginho for a place in the team. He could also be deployed in a more advanced role, which the likes of Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira played in before their departures this summer.