A PITY TO SEE MERINO LEAVE RAFA
RAFA Benitez admits Mikel Merino’s imminent departure is a “pity” – but believes Newcastle United have signed a ready-made replacement in Ki Sung-yueng.
Merino will join Real Sociedad in the coming days after the Spanish club triggered a £10m release clause in the 22-year-old’s Newcastle deal – holding off competition from Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla and Real Betis for the midfielder’s signature.
With the Spain Under-21 international determined to leave in search of first-team football, Benitez resigned himself to losing Merino during this transfer window more than six weeks ago and instead starting sourcing a suitable successor.
Given that Ki was available on a free transfer after his Swansea City contract expired, Newcastle moved quickly once South Korea were eliminated from the World Cup in order to sign the midfielder up on a two-year deal.
“It was a pity because obviously he wanted to play more football.
“He is a young player and he struggled to get back into the team because [Mo] Diame and [Jonjo] Shelvey were doing so well,” Benitez said of Merino’s departure following the 1892 Foundation Cup at the club’s Academy.
“In the end it was something we couldn’t control because he decided to go. We knew that could happen, so we had to be prepared – and in the end we were.”
Some fans have voiced their frustrations at the fact United will lose Merino for just £10m due to a release clause in his deal, but Benitez insists the Magpies had no choice but to accept that such a condition was in his contract if they wanted to sign him in the first place. In fact, Newcastle would not have signed Merino at all had they not exercised a similar clause in the midfielder’s Dortmund contract.
Although Benitez would have ideally liked to have kept Merino, he is pleased that United secured a like-for-like replacement in Ki.
And, while Merino was a young player who had the potential to improve, 29-year-old Ki brings with him more than 160 games’ worth of Premier League experience and 104 international caps.