Journalist is now hearing something different about Mikel Merino and Arsenal

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Mikel Merino to Arsenal is almost becoming a bit of a transfer saga as the Gunners look to finalise this deal.

It was reported that Arsenal wanted to sign Merino before the end of last week, but, as of yet, no agreement has been reached.

It has been suggested that Merino is very close to joining Arsenal, but according to Art De Roche, speaking on The Athletic FC Podcast, some of the reporting around this move is wide of the mark.

Indeed, according to the journalist Merino’s move to Arsenal isn’t actually as close as some people would have you believe.

• READ MORE: £33m player now suggests he has no desire whatsoever to join Arsenal this summer

Mikel Merino to Arsenal isn’t that close

De Roche shared what he knows about the Spain international and his potential move to Arsenal.

“Yeah I think it makes sense. It doesn’t seem as though it’s as close at the minute as most reports would say,” De Roche said.

“Looking from a stylistic point of view it helps having a midfielder playing in midfield. When Havertz joined last summer, talk was that he would play in that left eight role, but he just didn’t perform there.”

What Fabrizio Romano has said about Mikel Merino deal

It is interesting that De Roche says this. After all, most of the noise about Merino has been that a deal is almost done.

Fabrizio Romano recently stated that a move is incredibly close.

“Arsenal remain really confident to close the Mikel Merino deal in the next days because Arsenal, as we already said earlier this week, have an agreement close with Real Sociedad on the package for Mikel Merino, something around €30 million,” Romano said.

“(They are) still discussing the structure of the deal, the payment terms, so there are still some things to clarify, but we already said and I can confirm that Arsenal are closing in on this deal for Mikel Merino. There is still some job to do in terms of final stages but progressing very well.”

Of course, different journalists have different sources, and given that De Roche is purely an Arsenal reporter, he may have better connections with the Gunners. However, it does have to be said that Romano is rarely wrong on these matters.

This Merino deal has dragged on longer than many expected, and perhaps there is something to De Roche’s claim that this move isn’t as close as people think.