In a setback to Arsenal's title push, midfielder Mikel Merino is set to be sidelined for a significant amount of time after suffering a foot injury during our 2-3 home defeat to Manchester United on January 25.
The 29-year-old Spanish international, who has become an increasingly important figure in the squad this season, suffered a bone fracture in his right foot that will require surgery.
A club statement said Merino will undergo surgery in the coming days before beginning his recovery and rehabilitation programme.
While the statement did not provide a specific timeline for his return, he is expected to return to full training only towards the end of the season.
The timing of Merino's injury could hardly be worse for us given the fact that we are fighting on four frontiers and there is no time left to find an equally versatile player in the market.
He is one of the most valuable tactical weapon at Arteta’s disposal, someone who can be deployed all across the pitch and perform every role with equal proficiency.
The Spaniard can function as both a box-to-box midfielder and a makeshift striker. When we faced an injury crisis upfront with both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out, he seamlessly transitioned into an auxiliary forward and did a tremendous job for us.
According to data from Sky Sports, Merino ranks as Arsenal's second-most efficient attacker with 11 goals and five assists in 2,580 Premier League minutes since the start of last season. His average of 0.56 goal involvements per 90 minutes places him behind only Bukayo Saka among Arsenal teammates during this timeframe.
His ability to dominate physical contests, win second balls, and recycle possession intelligently makes him invaluable to our style of play.
With Ethan Nwaneri having departed on loan to Marseille and hardly any time left to dip into the transfer market, Arteta has to find a solution from within. Whether it means shifting Myles Lewis-Skelly into midfield, a role he is familiar with having played in that position in the U-21s, or giving Eberechi Eze more game time remains to be seen.
Kai Havertz has just come back from an extended period in the sidelines and he must be eased into the team gradually, therefore it is unlikely that Arteta will demand full 90 minutes from him just yet.
The coming weeks will test the depth and resilience of the squad as they pursue glory across multiple competitions without one of our most adaptable and reliable performers.
It is now upon Declan Rice, Christian Norgaard, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and the newly fit Kai Havertz to ensure that our midfield holds the fort and keeps the momentum going.