It's time for Mikel Arteta to unleash Arsenal's most underutilised weapon

9 Oct 2026 11:58 BST 3 min read

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

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Arsenal suffered a shock 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break and Mikel Arteta will be desperate to put that result right against Leeds United on Saturday.

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The Spaniard has committed his long-term future to the Gunners by signing a four-year contract and his first major selection decision of a new era at the club will come in the centre forward position.

Kai Havertz has been Arteta’s favoured option through the middle so far this campaign, scoring three goals in seven games, with Viktor Gyokeres afforded just 29 minutes of Premier League action during Arsenal’s opening five fixtures of the new English top flight season.

However, Havertz suffered a muscle strain while on international duty with Germany and it’s understood that he is set to miss the next few weeks, with Gyokeres primed to replace him after scoring in all four of Sweden’s Nations League fixtures during the break.

While selecting Gyokeres is the obvious choice for Arteta, there is an alternative that he must consider.

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It’s time to unleash Mikel Merino

Mikel Merino remains arguably the most underrated player in world football and perhaps even by Arteta.

The Spain star has consistently been a standout player whenever afforded opportunities at Arsenal and yet he hasn’t started a single Premier League match so far this season.

Of course, the stellar form of Martin Odegaard has unsurprisingly blocked his pathway to regular game time, but Havertz’s injury should present Arteta with the perfect chance to integrate Merino into the starting XI.

The 30-year-old arrived from Real Sociedad as a central midfielder and while that remains his natural position, he has become an astute centre forward during his time at Arsenal, and his predatory instincts inside the penalty area are simply world-class.

Merino scored three goals and provided one assist in four games for Spain during the recent international break, despite not starting a single match, and Luis de la Fuente was keen to heap praise on the Arsenal man following his two-goal cameo versus Croatia on Tuesday.

“It’s an honour to coach a player like that,” the Spain boss told reporters when asked about Merino.

“He has made it absolutely clear why I would have carried him in my arms to the World Cup. In another country he would be more appreciated - I hope that changes.

“I hope more will be done. Merino is one of the best in the world in his position. He has the class to play in any team and can always play, obviously. He knows how to understand these moments of the match.

“He has that gift that is the sense of the goal, for important goals, too.”

Since the start of last season, Merino has averaged a goal every 165 minutes for club and country and that is despite never cementing himself as a consistent starter. He has come up clutch for Arsenal on countless occasions since his arrival at the club and with Havertz now injured, it’s time for Arteta to hand Merino his first Premier League start of the season, rather than turn to Gyokeres.