Very bad news is coming from the Arsenal camp. Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino has suffered a fracture to a bone in his foot and will be sidelined for several months. The injury has been officially confirmed, and the player is expected to undergo surgery in the coming days, after which he will begin a long rehabilitation process.
Mikel Merino this season for Arsenal:
This is a significant blow for both the player and the club, even though Merino’s form had noticeably declined over the past weeks and months. He has been far from being the first-choice option in midfield, with Mikel Arteta preferring other profiles in recent matches. Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi, Martin Ødegaard, and several others have been ahead of him in the midfield hierarchy.
Playing position and bad form. Arteta relies less on him over time
Merino was also used by Arsenal in a different role earlier in the season. In two matches, he played as a central forward and scored against Chelsea, operating as a false nine. He found the net in the Champions League as well and was, at one point, a tactical weapon for Arteta in important matches.
However, as the season progressed, Merino gradually slipped into the background and was not the first choice. He was no longer a regular option either in midfield or in attack, and most of his minutes came from the bench. Following the return of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, Merino was no longer considered an attacking solution or offensive weapon as he was in the previous season.
Signs Were Visible. He was playing despite injury for a few weeks. He was playing with pain.
In recent weeks, whenever Merino was on the pitch, he appeared to be playing through pain. His movement looked restricted, and he clearly struggled with running intensity, suggesting that the injury may have been developing over time.
The hope at Arsenal is that the operation and rehabilitation process will be successful and that Merino will be able to return before the end of the season. This is particularly important given that this is a World Cup year, and Merino is competing for a place in the Spanish national team, which is the European champions.
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