£100m star ready to reject Man City to sign for Arsenal

For Mikel Merino, the 2025/26 season was a tough one. Arsenal may well have won the Premier League title but the Spaniard was unable to play much of a part in that success.

The Spaniard suffered a stress fracture in his foot in January and while he returned in time for the final few weeks of the season, he has not started a single game of football in 2026.

However, he is now back with a vengeance, lighting up the World Cup, scoring late winners against Portugal and Belgium in successive games.

For those who have become acustomed to watching Merino in recent years, that will come as no surprise.

How Merino has become the the ultimate big-game player

Merino’s rise to stardom has been quite the story.

The midfielder was sold by Newcastle for just £10m back in 2018, joining Real Sociedad. He enjoyed six wonderful years in San Sebastian before signing for Arsenal in a deal worth around £32m.

That fee has become something of a bargain. Initially signed as a midfielder. the Spain international has quickly become one of the most menacing goalscorers in Europe. Whenever you are in need of a magic moment, just call Merino.

He has been the savour on so many occasions, notably starring as a centre-forward in Arsenal’s time of need during 2024/25.

With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured at the start of 2025, Merino became a makeshift striker and performed remarkably well. That famous brace against Leicester City kicked it all off, with the 30-year-old scoring six goals in 12 games as a number 9.

In total, he has netted ten goals and supplied six assists in 23 games as a striker. It’s a remarkable record and one made all the better when you look at his percentage of game changing goals.

Ten of Merino’s 11 Premier League goals (91%) can be classified as game state changing strikes. What does that mean? Well, they go down as opening goals in a match, an equalising goal or goals which give his team the lead.

If you thought the departing Leandro Trossard was clutch then his teammate is on another level entirely. It’s just remarkable the regularity with which he pops up when you need him most.

That said, just how much football will Merino receive next season? Arsenal are trying hard to sign a new midfielder.

Arsenal trying to sign another big-game star

Midfield is a key priority for the Gunners this summer and that could well represent bad news for Merino who is likely to face increased competition for minutes.

He could be joined by Bournemouth’s Alex Scott or Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi. However, right now, the leading target is Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes.

Arsenal want the player and he wants them. Unfortunately, the Toon are set to demand £100m for the Brazilian, the same fee they sold Sandro Tonali to Spurs for.

That’s according to TEAMtalk who also note that Manchester City are interested in the player and have been informed that he is seeking an exit from St James’ Park.

However, Arsenal are his preferred destination and if both teams came to the table, it is likely he would choose the Premier League champions instead.

The captain of Newcastle and 29 in November, Guimaraes would offer the same sort of experience and leadership/mentoring skills as Merino has given Arsenal in recent years.

It just so happens that the Brazilian is rather clutch himself. He’s the definition of a big-game player, someone who always turns up against the top sides, someone who relishes playing in front of the TV cameras.

During a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace back in January, a game that was decided by two goals after the 70th minute, Bruno opened the scoring and then played a vital hand in the second. Eddie Howe saluted him by saying: “He played a captain’s role because that game was always going to be decided by very key moments in the game and he’s come up with a big one for us, and he’s done it countless times.”

In the same week, Guimaraes went onto score a stoppage time equaliser from the penalty spot in a 4-3 win against Leeds. Last term, he also scored against both Liverpool and Tottenham and in years gone by, he’s had a habit for being the man who pops up when it matters most.

Fulham, in particular, must be sick of the sight of him. In 2024, he scored an 81st minute winner and then in 2025, it was a 90th-minute winner to seperate the two teams courtesy of the Brazilian superstar. The 28-year-old has even popped up for his nation in a vital moment. He was the man who supplied the assist for Gabriel Martinelli’s last-gasp winning goal against Japan in the last 32.

The fact is that if Arsenal are to give Merino more of a reduced role next season then finding someone as equally as clutch in the big moments will be key. Guimaraes is that man.