Arteta praises Merinos impact and backs him for striker position at Arsenal

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stated on Friday that midfielder Mikel Merino deserves consideration for a forward position once his other attackers return to full fitness.

The Spanish player, who moved to the Gunners from Real Sociedad back in August 2024, had not previously featured as a central striker before his arrival in the capital.

However, he netted nine times during his debut season at the Emirates Stadium, stepping up in place of the sidelined Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

At 29 years old, he has now reached 11 goals across club and international duties this term, aiding Arsenals push to lead the Premier League standings.

When questioned by the press on whether Merino could feature up top even with a full roster, Arteta responded positively.

"He has certainly merited that consideration through his excellent form and contributions to the squad, so yes," Arteta explained.

The manager also mentioned the possibility of deploying Merino within the attacking unit, partnering with options like Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, or Jesus.

"We devised certain plans over the summer based on our current lineup, though we have yet to implement them," he added.

Arteta noted that the team is evaluating the condition of Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard, and William Saliba before tomorrows clash with third placed Aston Villa.

The England international Rice was substituted towards the end of Wednesdays 2 0 victory over Brentford, whereas Trossard and Saliba have sat out the previous pair of games.

"An additional session is scheduled for this afternoon," Arteta commented. "Each moment counts in determining who will be ready to play."

The coach from Spain reflected on experiences from the prior campaign, which included significant injury challenges.

"Some injuries remain beyond our control, particularly those that persisted for extended periods last year," he noted.

"This year brought further issues too. We must draw insights from manageable aspects and identify opportunities for enhancement."