Report claims 28-year-old Arsenal target’s absence from friendly match squad hints at imminent exit

Arsenal target Mikel Merino’s exclusion from Real Sociedad’s friendly match squad suggests his departure could be imminent.

Real Sociedad are gearing up for their final friendly fixture before the start of the new season. They have travelled to Germany to square up against FC Union Berlin at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei later today.

While everything seems to be going well, the absence of Mikel Merino from the Spanish club’s squad hasn’t gone unnoticed and it has resulted in a lot of talk about his future.

According to a report NOTICIAS DE GIPUZKOA, Arsenal target Merino’s absence from the friendly match squad hints at an imminent departure. Mikel Arteta is pushing hard to further strengthen his team and they have been working on a deal to sign the Spanish international for some time now.

The 28-year-old has gone from strength to strength since joining Sociedad back in 2018. He has established himself as a mainstay at the Spanish club and was on fire last season. The central midfielder finished with eight goals and five assists in his 45 outings during the 2023/24 campaign. While he has been an integral part of their first team over the years, Merino’s future has been uncertain with his contract running out in 12 months.

Sociedad want to extend his stay but the player is keen on a move away. While there was interest in his services from Atletico Madrid, he turned down the opportunity to play for Diego Simeone’s team and Arsenal have been the front runners ever since. Arteta wants someone who can form a dependable partnership with Declan Rice and Merino surely fits the bill.

With Álex Remiro, Mikel Oyarzabal, and Martín Zubimendi—all three of Real Sociedad’s European champions—included in the squad for the friendly, the absence of Mikel Merino, the fourth European champion, strongly suggests that he will leave the club before the end of the transfer window.