SURGERY SUCCESS: DISCOVER MIKEL MERINO’S TIMELINE FOR AN ARSENAL RETURN THIS SEASON
Mikel Merino faces an 8-week race to fitness for Arsenal and the 2026 World Cup after surgery on a rare foot fracture.
Mikel Merino just had surgery on his foot after picking up an injury at the end of Arsenal’s 3-2 loss to Manchester United. There’s a decent chance he’ll return before the season wraps up, but he’s got a tough road ahead if he wants to play any part in what’s shaping up to be a nail-biting title race. Arsenal sit six points ahead of Manchester City right now, holding onto the top spot.
Football.London reports that Merino, who got hurt against United, needed surgery and now faces a real sprint to get fit before the campaign ends. He’s 29, with four goals and three assists to his name this season, but he’s looking at about eight weeks off his feet. He’ll still be able to work out in the gym, and there’s some hope he’ll make it back in time, especially with Arsenal chasing their first Premier League title since 2004.
When asked if Merino might play again this season, Arteta didn’t have a definite answer. “Well, we hope so. I don’t know. Obviously, he needs to go through a procedure, which is never always positive. He’s a big player for us. An athlete who has such versatility and capacity to compete in various positions. Yeah, that’s a big blow.”
Turns out, Merino’s dealing with a fractured foot, and Arteta called the injury “rare”. “Let’s see. It’s a very rare injury, so we have to wait and see once we have the surgery. How does that react daily? Obviously, monitor it throughout the week for the surgery. I know Mikel is going to do absolutely everything that he possibly can to come back as quickly as possible. But, as well, he has to respect the healing process and the fact that, obviously, it’s an injury that is quite rare.”
Merino’s also hoping to get back before the season ends because he wants a spot in Spain’s squad for the 2026 World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
It’s tough luck for a player who was really hitting his stride. Earlier in the season, he told the club website, “Obviously, football is not only about results. It’s the main thing, but when you can enjoy playing with these teammates, it’s just a joy, and I’m enjoying it every time I’m on the pitch. I think everyone is giving their best and enjoying it as well, and that’s the best mix we can have, so performing and enjoying is the magic recipe, so yeah, very happy.”
Merino came in as a midfielder, but he’s turned into a genuine option up front. Arteta’s clearly impressed with how adaptable he is. “Yes, as a striker, certainly not [something he ever dreamt he could do], but that’s the thing as well that you learn when you sign a player – I knew he could offer much more than what he had, and especially after I met him for the first time because a player that has that amount of curiosity, the way he loves his profession and football, it’s difficult to put limits to that.”
Arsenal are still six points clear at the top, but injuries keep piling up. Along with Merino, they’re also missing Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard. It’s not making this title chase any easier.
HOW EBERECHI EZE’S MONTH-LONG INJURY BLOW RESHAPES ARSENAL’S TREBLE PURSUIT
Arsenal playmaker Eberechi Eze is out for six weeks with a calf injury, missing the Champions League and FA Cup.
Arsenal’s hopes for a historic treble took a real hit with the news about Eberechi Eze. He’s out for at least a month, maybe longer, after picking up a serious calf injury at a pivotal point in the season. Honestly, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Mikel Arteta now has to face some tough fixtures without one of his key creative forces.
The BBC reports Eze will miss four to six weeks after getting injured in the Champions League win against Bayer Leverkusen. He already sat out Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final loss to Manchester City and pulled out of international duty. Arteta is still waiting for a full assessment from the medical team, but either way, the timing stings. Arsenal is chasing silverware in the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup, and losing Eze now is just brutal. On the bright side, captain Martin Odegaard is nearing his return from a knee injury, which should take some pressure off in midfield.
Eze has been a huge part of Arsenal’s attack this season. Before his injury, he played in 43 matches – two for Crystal Palace before his late-August move and the rest for Arsenal. He’s racked up nine goals and six assists for the Gunners, cementing himself as a key figure up front. In the Premier League, he’s appeared 26 times and contributed six goals and two assists. His Champions League stats are solid, too: one goal and two assists in nine games.
With Eze out, England manager Thomas Tuchel called up Harvey Barnes from Newcastle United. Barnes is in red-hot form, with 14 goals across all competitions, and this move finally ends his nearly six-year absence from international play and shuts down any talk he might switch to Scotland.
Looking ahead, Arteta has a rough road without his star playmaker. Arsenal sits at the top with 70 points, nine clear of Manchester City (though City still have a game in hand). The team returns after the international break with an FA Cup quarter-final against Southampton on April 4. Three days later, they head to Sporting CP for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. Then, there’s a massive Premier League clash with Pep Guardiola’s squad on April 19. It’s a brutal stretch; Arsenal’s depth is about to be tested like never before.
WHY MIKEL ARTETA RISKED ARSENAL’S QUADRUPLE ON KEPA ARRIZABALAGA’S CUP LOYALTY
Jamie Carragher criticizes Mikel Arteta for starting Kepa Arrizabalaga over David Raya in Arsenal's 2-0 cup loss.
Jamie Carragher has voiced criticism of Mikel Arteta’s choice to stick with Kepa Arrizabalaga for the Carabao Cup final, especially after the Arsenal keeper’s error paved the way for Man City’s opening goal. At Wembley, Kepa failed to hold onto a cross from Rayan Cherki, which allowed Nico O'Reilly to score around the 60th minute. Not long after, O’Reilly doubled the lead for City, who held on to their 2-0 advantage and claimed their first domestic trophy of the season.
Despite this, Arteta stood by Kepa’s selection over David Raya, his usual first-choice keeper, saying he would make the same decision again. Kepa had been trusted throughout Arsenal’s run to the final, but Carragher wasn’t convinced this was the right call. Speaking on Sky Sports, the former Liverpool defender argued that Arteta had underestimated what was at stake: ending a long trophy drought for the Gunners.
Carragher expressed a clear dislike for playing the second-choice keeper in such important matches but admitted he could see when it might be acceptable. Still, his main point was that Arteta owes the fans the best possible chance of winning, especially considering Arsenal have only picked up one trophy in almost a decade. He sees the role of a backup goalkeeper as someone who can help in earlier rounds, but believes the final demands the strongest lineup.
“Playing the second goalkeeper in the final doesn’t make sense when the club hasn’t won enough trophies,” Carragher said. “Arsenal needs to do everything to finish the job, and that means putting in its best players, regardless of previous arrangements. The loyalty should be to the supporters more than to Kepa.”
Carragher also drew comparisons with Man City’s approach. Pep Guardiola started James Trafford over Gianluigi Donnarumma in the final, and despite Kepa’s error, Carragher saw a key difference. He argued that Guardiola owed Trafford a chance because he was originally signed to be the first-choice before being replaced mid-season, and the pressure on City to win wasn’t as pressing given their recent success.
“The situation with Trafford is distinct,” Carragher explained. “He came in for that role, but Donnarumma arrived as a late upgrade. Plus, Man City has won this competition several times recently, so the urgency isn’t comparable.”
He also mentioned players like Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher, who was trusted in finals because the club was determined to keep him, highlighting that Kepa’s background is different; he joined as a backup and hasn’t quite proven he’s at the top level, something Arsene Wenger hinted at during his Chelsea days as well.
Carragher emphasised that swapping Kepa for Raya isn’t a simple No. 2-for-No. 1 change. He pointed out that Raya has arguably been Arsenal’s standout player this season, so leaving him out for a crucial final means benching one of the team’s best, which is a risky move given their recent lack of silverware.
Arteta, meanwhile, defended his decision by noting that he never promised Kepa a spot in all cup games but acknowledged the Spaniard had earned his place through his performances up to the final. He said errors are part of football, and, though unfortunate, this one came at a crucial moment.
“I have to be honest and fair,” Arteta said after the match. “Kepa played every game in this competition so far, and changing that now wouldn’t have been right for him or the team. Players have to earn their place, and based on what Kepa showed during this run, I believe keeping him was the right call.”
