Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino has a lot of admirers in Spain as several La Liga clubs wanted to sign him in the summer transfer window.
The list includes the likes of Real Betis, Athletic Club Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Sevilla.
We have carried several reports talking about interest from all of the above mentioned clubs. The player wanted his new club to offer him a five-year deal, assurance of regular playing time and a reasonable release clause in his contract.
Sociedad have long been leading the race to secure Merino’s signature in the last two weeks. On June 21st, we carried a report from Spanish newspaper AS, who claimed the San Sebastian outfit’s president, Jokin Aperribay travelled to England to negotiate the midfielder’s transfer with Newcastle.
Aperribay has now revealed that Sociedad are keen on adding Merino to their squad for the next season, but stressed the deal is still to be completed.
“We will see in the coming weeks if it can be done and then we have to respect times and ways with his club. I do not look too much at Athletic in these things, they follow his life and his way, a great club,” Aperribay said, as reported by Marca.
“We are focused on closing the incorporation of Merino for the next season, we have not done it yet.”
