Mikel Arteta could green light the sale of a key first team star to land a top target next summer
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Arsenal could look to sell a regular first team player in order to fund a £70 million swoop for in-demand Athletic Club star Oihan Sancet next summer.
The 25-year-old is under contract with the La Liga giants until 2032 but is believed to have a release clause of £70 million in his deal. The midfielder played 68 minutes in his side’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal last week and appears to have turned heads in that showing.
Spanish outlet Fichajes claims that the Gunners have ‘set their sights’ on signing Sancet but accept that the transfer will have to wait until next summer. Arsenal are not the only club courting the player with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United also named as potential suitors. Sancet bagged 17 goals and picked up three assists last season.
Arsenal rival Tottenham Hotspur and Man Utd in transfer battle
Arsenal aren’t short of midfield options with Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi arriving this summer, while Max Dowman progresses fast, but the feeling is that Sancet could bring something different to the Gunners’ line-up. He is labelled as the ‘missing piece’ in that Spanish report.
An intriguing part of the report claims that Arsenal could fund that move for Sancet by selling Mikel Merino, despite the player only having arrived from Real Sociedad in 2024. Merino is not one of the first names on the teamsheet but his versatility and ability to play up front has been vital for Arteta - however, that is a capability that Sancet also boasts.
Gunners could sell Mikel Merino
Arsenal paid a reported £32 million to buy Merino from Real Sociedad last year. The Spanish midfielder has started in the league against Liverpool and Nottingham Forest this season, as well as against Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League. He made 44 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring nine goals and picking up five assists.
Speaking about the importance of Merino in March, Arteta said: “We know that it is the emergency situation that we’re in at the moment. But the way he’s approaching it is incredible. He wants to understand everything, he wants to learn from it, he’s vey critical of himself all the time.
“The reality is that he’s winning football matches for us which is incredible because he’s never played in that position before in his life. It’s the value of it. It’s a big match and at the end of it you win the game because of that goal. He had another big chance that he almost put in the net. We’re very happy with his contribution.”
In other news, Tottenham told what it will take to sign summer transfer 'target' this January.