Arsenal expected to offer £40,000-a-week target a life changing contract

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Arsenal are now expected to put a life changing contract proposal on the table to sign one of Mikel Arteta’s targets this summer.

The Gunners have not been scared to back the Spaniard in the market with significant financial commitments, spending £65m and £280,000-a-week to sign Kai Havertz, while Declan Rice was handed a deal worth £240,000-a-week after his £105m move from West Ham.

Now, Arsenal are ready to offer another Mikel Arteta target a substantial salary…

Arsenal likely to offer Mikel Merino a life changing contract

A story from Mundo Deportivo in Spain now claims that Arsenal are ‘probably’ going to offer Mikel Merino the ‘contract of a lifetime’ in order to get him out of Real Sociedad.

The Spain international, who currently earns £40,000-a-week in San Sebastien, is also the subject of interest from Barcelona and Aston Villa, according to the Spanish news outlet.

However, we would imagine that Aston Villa’s interest is fading, after the Villans agreed a £50m deal with Everton to sign Amadou Onana.

A separate story from Mundo Deportivo mentions that Barcelona will now step up a push to sign Merino after the Belgian moved to Villa Park, as he was Hansi Flick’s No.1 target.

Despite that stance, Arsenal sound ready to blow the cash-strapped Spanish giants out of the water with a huge contract offer to the Real Sociedad No.8, who only has 12 months remaining on his deal with Real Sociedad.

Mundo Deportivo add that Merino has a €65m (£56m) release clause written into that contract, although a story from Tutto Juve in Italy claims that the Spanish side would accept £33m for the 28-year-old this summer.

Expect developments soon

Arsenal have been linked with Merino for most of the summer – Arteta is even said to have spoken to his fellow countryman on the phone – although there are yet to be any concrete developments.

That is mainly due to the Pamplona-born maestro’s involvement in UEFA Euro 2024 with Spain, although the tournament ends on Sunday night after the final between England and Luis de la Fuente’s side.

Once Merino returns from Germany to San Sebastien, discussions over his future can actually take place, as could a potential medical with Arsenal if the Gunners agree a fee with Real Sociedad.

READ MORE: Declan Rice says he’s become really good friends with £60m Arsenal target

As a result, be sure to keep an even closer eye out for updates regarding this saga from tomorrow onwards…