Newcastle United can re-sign midfielder for 'bargain' £25m fee as Arsenal make contact

The former Newcastle United midfielder is into the final year of his contract and as it stands will not be signing a new one. Arsenal have enquired about the Euro 2024 winner, while Atletico Madrid and Barcelona are also among the clubs linked.

The Daily Mirror claims Sociedad want at least £25million for the 28-year-old, a fee that may be regarded as a bargain - particularly by those who got watch him during his time on Tyneside.

Merino spent just one season at Newcastle, initially arriving on loan from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. But within three months, a clause to make the move permanent was triggered.

He quickly became a favourite with the fans with his most memorable moment being his late winner to beat Crystal Palace 1-0 at St James’ Park. However, his stay lasted just 25 games after Sociedad activated his £10m release clause.

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For years, Newcastle supporters had wondered why Merino moved on so soon and for such a small fee. Those questions were only recently answered by then manager Rafa Benitez.

“We convinced him (Merino) to come (with a low release clause),” Benitez told Spanish publication AS. “From the beginning, we knew that his time at Newcastle was going to be fleeting.

“The idea was that he would bring us quality and convince him to stay with us longer but, due to his quality and being Basque, he was a player that was impossible to retain.”

Since his exit, Merino has won the Copa Del Rey and gone on to establish himself as an international for Spain. Newcastle fans have often commented on social media about how they’d love to see Merino back for a second spell.

Unfortunately, such move is unlikely, even if Merino has fond memories of Newcastle fans and St James’ Park.

Speaking about his time on Tyneside earlier this year, Merino said: “Very good. What marked me the most in Newcastle was the stadium, the fans. I think it was a unique life, feeling what St James’ Park is, I will always have it in my heart and mind because it is something unique.

“Get a ball in your area and people go crazy shouting as if you were about to score a goal, and I said ‘let’s see, there are 80 metres to there and they are 11 ahead. It is impossible for us to score a goal’. But people believed it and encouraged you to move forward.”