Mikel Merino is “disheartened” at Newcastle United in a clear sign he could quit the club this summer, according to the Chronicle.
The regional newspaper cite a club source who claims Merino cut an immensely frustrated figure in the final months of the recent season both in training and on match days.
The Chronicle report that Mikel is weighing up his future amid strong interest from Athletic Bilbao as well as Real Betis in his native Spain.
OPINION
It appears that Merino’s future at the club he joined permanently only last October is in considerable doubt. That will be a concern for supporters of the north-east giants, who took him to their hearts after he made an immediate and significant impact following his arrival, initially on loan, from Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder, who turns 22 later this month, was the darling of the autumn before breaking down with a back injury in November. He never subsequently recovered his form and was a bit-part player in the second half of the campaign as Mohamed Diame surprisingly, but very effectively, established himself as Jonjo Shelvey’s central midfield partner. As a Basque, Merino could join Athletic, who operate a strict policy on who they can sign and which gives them a narrow pool of talent to choose from. It appears more than a 50 per cent chance, maybe even 70-30 in the Spanish club’s favour, that Merino will be on their books by the time the window shuts.
