Reason why Barcelona are not advancing in their pursuit of 28-year-old Arsenal target – report

Barcelona’s pursuit of Mikel Merino has taken an interesting turn, with Gabriel Sans reporting through Mundo Deportivo that the club has paused all the efforts because the team’s primary focus is on acquiring Nico Williams.

At the moment, any potential deals for Merino or other midfielders have come to a complete stop as the club is entirely dedicated to securing the services of the Athletic Club forward. 

If this pursuit does not pan out, Barcelona have a backup plan. They will shift their financial resources towards signing Dani Olmo, who is waiting in the wings.

Reinforcing midfield is important, but not as much as Nico

It is said that strengthening the midfield has been a long-standing goal for Barcelona, especially after the departure of Sergio Busquets. However, finding the right formula has been a challenge. 

Mikel Merino is wanted by Barcelona and Arsenal. (Photo by CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP via Getty Images)

This season, the club is placing all its bets on Nico, and they are not willing to budge from this priority. Everything hinges on this acquisition.

According to sources, the Spaniard is currently in a holding pattern, waiting for Barcelona to make a move that would bring him closer to joining the team. However, as time goes by, there is a growing sense of disappointment.

There is competition for Merino

Merino, on the other hand, has one more year left on his contract with Real Sociedad. If no deal is reached, he is expected to return to work with his current club on August 5th. 

Amidst all this, Arsenal have emerged as another potential destination for Merino, but Real Sociedad have not yet received any offers from the English club.

It has been reported that once the team finalizes the signing of centre-back Riccardo Calafiori, they plan to pursue a midfielder. 

In summary, Barcelona’s transfer strategy is laser-focused on acquiring Nico Williams. This singular focus has caused other potential deals, including one for Merino, to be put on…

Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/reason-why-barcelona-are-not-advancing-in-their-pursuit-of-28-year-old-arsenal-target-report/

Author : Ash Reyna

Publish date : 2024-07-27 06:40:00

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