Mikel Merino continues to stall on Real Sociedad contract amid Barcelona interest | OneFootball

Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino is at a crossroads in his career, as he decides whether to commit his future to the Txuri-Urdin, or seek a move to club challenging for league titles.

As a teenager Merino made the jump from Osasuna to Borussia Dortmund, but after a tricky few years involving a spell at Newcastle United, Merino found a home at Real Sociedad. There he has been for the last six years, and has become one of the best in Spain in the middle of the park.

However with his contract up next summer, and La Real keen to renew him, he also has interest from Barcelona. Should he decide against a renewal, he could likely make a cut-price move, while committing to a new deal would likely mean committing to the Reale Arena for the best years of his career to come. As Real Sociedad push for a new deal, Matteo Moretto has explained to Football España that he is stalling in his response, as he weighs up his options. It’s a predicament that has been on his mind for months now, but he appears to be no closer to a decision.

It appears no side has yet made a move for Merino, which could perhaps tip the scales in his favour. Prior to Barcelona’s reported interest, Juventus were linked to the Spanish international, but the Bianconeri have not made any advances following their initial enquiry. With the Blaugrana, there are of course the doubts over their ability to find a deal that would satisfy La Real, with uncertainty over their finances.