Mikel Merino in line for 'contract of a lifetime' at Arsenal as Premier League giants join transfer race for Spain & Real Sociedad star

Per Mundo Deportivo, the Gunners are all set to offer a 'contract of a lifetime' to the Spaniard as they emerge as favourites to land the player in the summer transfer window. They will, however, face competition from fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, who are also keen on adding the 28-year-old to their squad.

Mikel Arteta is in search of a quality central midfield option to bolster the position ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 campaign. Merino had a successful outing with Real Sociedad last season where he appeared in 45 matches across all competitions and scored eight times and provided five assists. The player's current contract is set to expire in less than a year and while his club has already offered him a new deal, he is yet to commit his future.

The Villans have been linked with a move for Merino for quite some time now, however, with the imminent arrival of Amadou Onana in the same position, they could consider pulling out of the transfer race.

For now, Merino remains focused on winning the Euro 2024 with Spain and could be next seen in action on Sunday as La Roja face Gareth Southgate's England in the final in Berlin.