How Arteta's surprise star has ENDED the career of his forgotten Arsenal teammates

Suraj Radia

• 10 Dec 2025 09:08 GMT
• 5 min read

Analysis

Many thought that the signing of Viktor Gyokeres this summer would signal a new era where Arsenal would finally move forward a with a proven goalscorer to solve their long-term striker issues.

Mikel Arteta has long-searched for a number nine capable of thriving in his system, with Gabriel Jesus signed to fill the void in the early years, while the €75 million experiment to use Kai Havertz as a makeshift striker has yielded mixed results.

Current ETV

Viktor Gyökeres 

F (C)

Arsenal

Viktor Gyökeres 

F (C)

Arsenal

€75M

ETV Range

€67.5M - €82.5M

View full profile

Eventually the Gunners splashed €65m on Gyokeres this summer and, while the 27-year-old has shown is quality in flashes, he has just three goals in his last 13 appearances across all competitions.

Instead, Arteta has turned to his tried and tested solution in recent weeks who has constantly proven to be Arsenal’s most reliable striker despite never having played in the role prior to 2025.

Compared

Viktor Gyökeres 

F (C)

Arsenal

Viktor Gyökeres 

F (C)

Arsenal

VS

Mikel Merino

M, F (C)

Arsenal

Mikel Merino

M, F (C)

Arsenal

2025/2026

Season Statistics

2025/2026

17	Appearances	21
6	Goals	5
1	Assists	3
1128	Minutes Played	1225
31	Shots Total	21
13	Shots On Target	10

Mikel Merino is once again thriving in a centre forward role this season he may end up ending the careers of some of his teammates at Arsenal, who have become redundant amid the Spaniard’s new-found success up front.

While Gyokeres’ skill set will ensure he will always have a role at Arsenal even as a backup, the likes of Havertz and Jesus may end up as bit-part figures under Arteta and be forced to seek pastures new in the near future.

Forgotten striker duo face uphill battle to save Arsenal careers

Merino has scored ten goals and provided six assists in 23 matches as a striker, having initially been used as an emergency option after Havertz suffered a long-term knee injury in February.

For context, Havertz finished the previous campaign with nine goals and three assists in 23 Premier League matches, while Jesus has not scored more than four times in a season since his debut year with the Gunners.

Both Havertz and Jesus are still recovering from their long-term injuries, although the Brazilian is closer to a return, but they will face a significant challenge to get past Merino and Gyokeres in the hierarchy for the Premier League leaders.

With 15-year-old sensation Max Dowman also displaying his first team credentials, it begs the question of whether there is a place for Havertz and Jesus in Arsenal’s squad beyond this season.

Both players will perhaps face a rude awakening upon their return from injury, particularly ahead of a pivotal World Cup year, and Arsenal would certainly not be against cashing in on either star next summer if an appropriate offer arrives.

However, with plenty of time remaining in the season, Havertz and Jesus will certainly be given chances to contribute after their recovery and the pressure is on now for the duo to prove their worth and show that they have a future in Arsenal’s potential title-winning squad.

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