Newcastle United will try to receive at least £13million from the sale of midfielder Mikel Merino if he is to depart, according to Fiebre Rojiblanca.
The Spanish publication claim that both Athletic Bilbao and Real Betis are interested in the playmaker’s services, which was previously reported by AS, if he is to leave St James Park.
Fiebre Rojiblanca report that Merino is the most viable option for Bilbao to pursue in their hunt for a new midfielder even though they have plenty of options in that department already.
OPINION
Merino featured 24 times in the Premier League for Rafa Benitez’s side in the 2017/18 season and started the campaign better than he finished it. A back injury really seemed to halt his momentum in its tracks and he never got back to his best after it occured. The 21-year-old found himself rarely used in the final games of the season, but that doesn’t mean he should be allowed to walk away anytime soon. While Merino might not be against a trip home to Spain in order to play his football there on a regular basis, there’s too much potential for the Magpies not to put up a fight for him. The midfielder looked the real deal in the opening weeks of the recently finished season when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund and class doesn’t go away. Hopefully these rumours are just a result him not playing regularly at the end of the campaign as even if the club got £13million for his services, it would be a shame to wave goodbye to such a talented player.
