Arsenal fear midfielder Mikel Merino may have suffered a serious injury after he was ruled out of Saturday’s victory over Leeds United, a report has revealed.
Manager Mikel Arteta confirmed after the 4–0 win that Merino would need to see a specialist. “He’s got an issue in his foot. It’s a bone that’s giving him some pain,” the boss revealed. BBC Sport note there are concerns over a potentially serious injury which could keep Merino out of action for a significant period.
Arsenal can ill-afford further fitness issues while they are already sweating over winger Bukayo Saka, who pulled out of the warm-up for Saturday’s game.
Arsenal Need Urgent Diagnosis Before Deadline Day
Merino’s injury comes at an incredibly awkward time, just hours before the transfer window will close across Europe.
If Merino, a key squad player, is unable to play for a significant period, Arsenal may need to turn to the market for a replacement, having seen previous title charges derailed by injuries in the past.
While Merino has forged a reputation as an emergency striker, it is in midfield where he finds most importance under Arteta, providing key cover to both Martín Zubimendi and Declan Rice. Without him, the ability to afford to rest two of the most important players in the squad will be dictated by Christian Nørgaard who, despite Merino’s injury, was not even supposed to be on the bench against Leeds until Saka’s withdrawal opened up a spot.
As Arsenal head into crunch time of their Quadruple charge, Arteta will want multiple rotation options to keep everyone in his squad fresh.
An emergency move to sign a replacement may, therefore, be necessary if Arsenal are to avoid succumbing to the same fate as previous seasons, when injuries and a lack of high-level alternatives ultimately cost the Gunners a spot in Premier League history.
The Games Mikel Merino Could Miss for Arsenal
Arsenal are yet to confirm the extent of Merino’s injury, but suggestions of a “serious” injury would point to a month out of action at the very least.
Even if Merino avoids the worst-case scenario, he seems certain to miss Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea, while meetings with Sunderland, Brentford, Wigan Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur across February may all come too soon.
Chelsea are once again on the agenda to start March, which will also include both legs of the Champions League round of 16. One of Borussia Dortmund, Atalanta, Olympiacos or Bayer Leverkusen will await Arsenal.
| Fixture | Date |
|---|---|
| Chelsea (H) | Feb. 3 |
| Sunderland (H) | Feb. 7 |
| Brentford (A) | Feb. 12 |
| Wigan Athletic (H) | Feb. 15 |
| Tottenham (A) | Feb. 22 |
| Chelsea (H) | March 1 |
| Brighton (A) | March 4 |
| Champions League Ro16 (A) | March 10/11 |
| Everton (H) | March 15 |
| Champions League Ro16 (H) | March 17/18 |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal May Be Forced Into Transfer Market Amid Concerns Over ‘Serious’ Injury.
