According to the latest report from the Basque newspaper, La Liga powerhouse Real Sociedad is making every effort to extend the contract of its central midfielder, Merino, in order to retain the player who is crucial to the team. Merino is not only outstanding on the field, but also an indispensable member of Real Sociedad, whose importance is far greater than that of Lenorman, who has also been caught up in transfer rumors recently.
Although Merino was satisfied with Real Sociedad's performance at the competitive level, he expressed his dissatisfaction with the salary portion of the club's original contract extension offer, believing that he deserved a higher salary to match his contribution and market value. Faced with Merino's demands, Real Sociedad showed great sincerity and determination and decided to revise the original offer and provide a new, more lucrative contract.
It is reported that the contract originally prepared by Real Sociedad for Merino contains both fixed salary and bonus parts, but in order to better meet the player's expectations, the club is now willing to convert all bonus parts directly into fixed salary, and promises to give Merino a salary package that exceeds that of the current top-salaried player of the team, Oyasawar. This move undoubtedly reflects the high level of recognition and importance that Real Sociedad attaches to Merino.
However, if even with the lure of such a high salary, Merino still feels that the salary level fails to meet his expectations, Real Sociedad has shown enough rationality and realism. They said they will respect the player's decision and consider selling him this summer to clubs that are willing to pay a high transfer fee and meet the player's salary requirements.
Currently, a number of giants such as Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea have shown strong interest in Merino. But according to reports, Merino himself is not interested in joining Atletico Madrid, while Barcelona is at a disadvantage due to its financial situation, which makes it difficult to provide a high transfer fee. Therefore, if Merino finally chooses to leave Real Sociedad, going to the Premier League seems to be a more likely choice. Not only do the Premier League teams have the financial backing to pay high transfer fees, but they can also offer a contract that meets Merino's salary requirements, which is undoubtedly a very attractive option for the player.
