Mikel Arteta says that Mikel Merino has suffered a ‘rare’ foot injury that we now know will require surgery.
Merino’s absence from the squad at Elland Road initially looked like part of Arteta’s rotation, with nine changes made following the midweek win over Kairat Almaty. That assumption did not last long. Speaking before the match, Arteta made clear the midfielder had not simply been rested.
“He’s got an issue in his foot,” Arteta said. “It’s a bone that’s giving him some pain, and we have some exams, we need some more specialists to look at it and to see how long he will be out.”
Concerns intensified on Sunday as reports suggested the problem was more serious than first thought.
David Ornstein later reported that Arsenal expected Merino to miss a considerable period with a suspected broken bone, adding that the club were surveying the market for potential short-term cover, with no guarantee a deal would be completed before the deadline.
Arsenal then confirmed the diagnosis and next steps, announcing that Merino would undergo surgery and face an extended absence. “Mikel will have surgery in the coming days and will then begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme,” the club said.
Arteta, speaking ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg against Chelsea, underlined both the scale of the setback and the unusual nature of the injury. “He needs to go through a procedure, which is not always positive. He’s a big player for us, a player that has such versatility and capacity to compete in various positions, and that’s a big blow,” Arteta said.
“It’s a very rare injury so we have to wait and see once we have the surgery, how that reacts daily, obviously monitor it throughout the week for the surgery and see.
“I know Mikel is going to do absolutely everything that he possibly can to come back as quick as possible. But as well you have to respect the healing process and the fact that obviously it’s an injury that is quite rare.”
The timing is particularly frustrating given Merino’s durability this season. Until this issue, he had been one of only three Arsenal players not to miss a game through injury, alongside David Raya and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
There is no firm timetable for his return, but the club remain hopeful Merino can be back in training before the end of the season.