THE MERINO CRISIS: WHO WILL FILL ARSENAL'S MIDFIELD HOLE AFTER DEVASTATING FOOT SURGERY?
Mikel Merino’s injury leaves a hole in Arsenal's midfield. Discover if Kai Havertz or Myles Lewis-Skelly will step up for Arteta.
Mikel Arteta knows he needs his Arsenal squad’s depth to get them through the season, especially if they want to finally bring home that Premier League trophy. He’s already watched his team handle injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Martin Ødegaard, and Gabriel. Honestly, they’ve managed all that pretty well—Arsenal are still fighting on four fronts. But things never run perfectly, do they? Now, with Mikel Merino sidelined and needing surgery for a foot injury, Arteta faces his first real crisis of the season.
The January window slammed shut before Arsenal could bring in a quick fix. So, Arteta has to figure things out with what he’s got.
Let’s start with the obvious: Havertz. When Arteta signed him in 2023, he talked up Kai’s versatility, even hinting he might fill the Granit Xhaka role. That didn’t exactly click at first. Havertz looked awkward compared to Xhaka, and soon enough, Arteta moved him up the pitch. That late goal against Brentford? It showed he can drift in behind defences and pop up with something special. Eventually, Havertz shifted into the centre forward spot, but it wasn’t some overnight transformation. He grew into the role, and his strong finish last season convinced the club not to chase another striker in the summer.
But things change fast. Havertz spent most of 2025 recovering from a knee injury. Now, Gabriel Jesus is healthy again, Viktor Gyökeres is banging in goals, and suddenly Havertz has real competition for minutes up top. With Merino out, maybe it’s time to push Havertz back into midfield—the role Arteta always imagined for him. Sure, neither Havertz nor Merino is a natural playmaker, and both can get a bit clumsy in tight spaces, but Havertz brings a physical edge and always finds a way into the box.
What about the mavericks? When Arsenal falters—which, to be fair, doesn’t happen much—Arteta takes heat for playing it too safe. He likes structure, set pieces, and muscle over pure chaos. Once, Ødegaard ran the show, but his influence seems to be fading. Saka’s brilliant but calculated. Eberechi Eze? Outside his derby hat-trick, he hasn’t really caught fire in north London.
If Ethan Nwaneri hadn’t gone out to Marseille on loan, he might’ve gotten his shot. Now, Arteta might have to trust the unpredictable guys—the ones who can turn a game on its head. Maybe it’s time to let the creative sparks loose, even if it means stepping a little outside his comfort zone.
Eze’s arrival last August felt like the start of something big. The crowd greeted him like a hero, but so far, it just hasn’t clicked. He’s not the missing puzzle piece, not yet. Still, there’s time. Last year, around this time, he hit his stride for Crystal Palace. Who’s to say he can’t do it again for Arsenal?
In the end, Arteta just needs to let it play out. Sometimes, the unexpected answers are the best ones.
Assuming Arteta doesn’t flip the whole system, Arsenal’s midfield probably leans on Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi working together. That third spot? It’s wide open. Ødegaard used to be the obvious pick, but now Eze is battling to earn Arteta’s trust, and Havertz might drop deeper into midfield since Arsenal have plenty of attacking options.
But Arteta has another card he could play.
Myles Lewis-Skelly turned heads at left back, and honestly, it’s easy to forget he’s a natural midfielder. That’s why he looked so comfortable sliding into an inverted role for both club and country—he just gets those central spaces.
Lately, he’s slipped down the pecking order, with Piero Hincapié stealing his minutes. Still, Arteta clearly rates the kid—he gave him his first real shot, after all. With Merino out, Lewis-Skelly could be a solid rotation option in midfield.
He doesn’t give you what Merino does in the air or on the ground, but he’s tough in a duel and great at moving the ball through the lines. Plus, he can ride a challenge and carry the ball forward, which helps Arsenal push up the pitch.
WHAT IS THE "AURA" MIKEL ARTETA SEES IN BUKAYO SAKA’S RECENT PERFORMANCES?
"He shifts momentum." Read Mikel Arteta’s full analysis of Bukayo Saka’s importance ahead of the crucial West Ham showdown.
Mikel Arteta sees something special in Bukayo Saka’s presence on the pitch, an “aura” that he believes could drive Arsenal toward a Premier League title, just three games away from ending a 22-year wait.
During Saka’s recent absence with an Achilles injury, Arsenal managed only a single win in five matches. His return, however, seemed to breathe new life into the squad. Saka set up Viktor Gyokeres for the opener before scoring himself in a solid 3-0 victory over Fulham last weekend.
More crucially, Saka netted the decisive goal that helped Arsenal secure a 2-1 aggregate win over Atlético Madrid, booking their first Champions League final appearance since 2006.
Since making his debut for the Gunners seven years ago, the England international now carries the hopes of pushing Arsenal for vital points, starting with a key clash against relegation-threatened West Ham at the London Stadium, followed by matches against Burnley at home and Crystal Palace away on the season’s final day.
When asked about Saka’s importance, Arteta highlighted the growing role he plays not just within the team but also in how opponents see him. There’s a clear presence, a certain quality that sets him apart. According to Arteta, Saka can shift a game’s momentum at any time, and instilling that kind of respect or even fear in the opposition is invaluable.
Arteta also touched on managing Saka’s comeback after injury, emphasising the idea of channelling fresh energy and motivation into his performance rather than rushing him back too soon. He described it as a privilege to have a player like Saka, someone who embodies core values and principles, both on and off the pitch. Beyond the football, there’s a human connection that makes working with him rewarding. What Saka showed, especially in the recent Champions League semifinal, was nothing short of remarkable.
Alongside Saka, Declan Rice has also become a pivotal figure since his £100 million move from West Ham last year. Now 27, Rice will make his 59th appearance of the season when Arsenal faces his former club on Sunday. His impact has been significant, earning him runner-up in the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award behind Bruno Fernandes.
Arteta praised Rice as a key leader and a major force for the team, underlining the powerful role he plays as Arsenal chase success this season.
WHY DID JURRIEN TIMBER’S "SIMPLE" INJURY TURN INTO A SEASON-ENDING MEDICAL MYSTERY?
After reaching the Champions League final, Arsenal face a fitness race for key stars ahead of their clash with West Ham.
Mikel Arteta has admitted that both Mikel Merino and Jurrien Timber are running out of time to get fit before the season ends – a tough setback for Arsenal right now.
Both have been out for weeks, dealing with foot and ankle injuries. The hope was always that they’d be back for the final stretch, giving Arsenal a boost when it matters most. This week, Merino at least made it back onto the training pitch, but Arteta has confirmed neither he nor Timber will be involved in Sunday’s big match against West Ham.
Arteta said he has no new injury problems elsewhere, but for Merino or Timber to play before the end of the season, their recoveries would have to be almost perfect. Timber’s situation in particular has turned out to be more complicated than they first thought.
“That’s probably been the hardest part for everyone. For me, for the player,” Arteta said. “We really didn’t think it would take this long, and he’s still not ready.”
Meanwhile, things are going well for Arsenal on the pitch. They’ve pulled five points clear at the top of the Premier League, and they just beat Atletico Madrid, booking a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades.
There’s still a twist, though. Manchester City play Brentford first this weekend, and they still have a game in hand. Even so, if Arsenal win their last three matches, the title is theirs.
Next up is West Ham, who are fighting to avoid relegation and could easily trip Arsenal up. Arteta knows his team can’t afford any slip-ups. “After the Atletico win, I was completely caught up in the emotion. You could feel what it meant to everyone fans and the staff. But straight after, my focus went to West Ham,” he said.
“We talked as a team about how we’ve earned the chance to be in the final, and we have time to get ready, but right now, all our focus and all the details need to go into West Ham.”
