Newcastle United midfielder Mikel Merino has held “positive” talks with Real Betis as he closes in on summer transfer, according to ABC de Sevilla.
The Spanish outlet claim that Merino, 21, has been in direct contact with the La Liga club and has reached an agreement to move in the current window.
ABC de Sevilla report that Real Betis are now set to negotiate a fee with Newcastle in the coming days as they look to secure an early summer deal and beat rivals Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad to the player’s signature.
OPINION
Quite why Newcastle would be willing to sanction an early-summer exit for Merino is a mystery. It is unlikely that the Spaniard would be discussing terms with clubs in his homeland without some kind of green light from the Premier League, or a tacit admission that they will allow him to leave if a fee can be agreed. It appears to have already reached the stage of discussing the transfer cost. That will be a concern for supporters of the north-east giants, who took Merino to their hearts after he made an immediate and significant impact following his arrival, initially on loan, from Borussia Dortmund last summer. The midfielder, who turns 22 later this month, was the darling of the autumn before he broke down with a back injury and watched on as Mohamed Diame made a surprisingly good fist of the central midfield role. That said, Merino is a player of immense potential who could be a Newcastle star for years to come. Diame, by contrast, is as good as he is going to ever be. Rafael Benitez must use his powers of persuasion to get Merino back on side and refuse to sanction a sale.
