Mikel Merino has made himself undroppable as Viktor Gyokeres advised he should sit on Arsenal bench
Mikel Merino is among the most clever gamers to have performed for Arsenal and he ought to hold beginning over Viktor Gyokeres.
That is in accordance with ex-Gunners midfielder Adrian Clarke, who has labelled Merino ‘undroppable’.
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The Spain worldwide, who arrived within the Premier League within the summer time of 2024, has change into a key star beneath supervisor Mikel Arteta.
Initially signed as a midfielder, he has transitioned right into a makeshift striker as a result of a number of accidents in attacking areas.
In complete, Merino has performed 22 video games up entrance for Arsenal since signing, together with 10 already this season in all competitions.
However he is discovered it no challenge to steer the road, brilliantly linking up assaults and scoring objectives himself, along with his aerial capacity an enormous risk.
Brentford felt the total drive of that on Wednesday, because the 29-year-old headed dwelling earlier than organising Bukayo Saka in a 2-0 win.
That adopted one other aim towards Chelsea, an help towards Tottenham and Sunderland, and a double within the Champions League.
Merino is hitting some unimaginable kind and it has led to Clarke piling reward onto him for his impression on Arteta’s aspect.
“Mikel Merino in the mean time, for me, is undroppable,” Clarke advised talkSPORT. “This man is taking part in phenomenally nicely.
“He is one of many smartest footballers I’ve seen play for Arsenal in current seasons. So clever, regardless of the place you set him, he simply adjusts, he adapts to the position.
“His motion is good, we noticed that for the aim. Nobody has scored extra headed objectives throughout 2025 than Mikel Merino.”
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Clarke went on to clarify the brilliance of bringing the Spaniard in. “Mikel Merino is a participant that almost all golf equipment within the Premier League wouldn’t have signed.
“Chelsea for one, as a result of he was 28 when he got here in and quite a lot of golf equipment, they flip their nostril up if you happen to’re not 25 or beneath.
“However this man may show to be one of the crucial invaluable signings that Arsenal have made as a result of he has received nous, and he is received high quality, and he delivers within the huge moments.
“In the intervening time, you’ll be able to’t depart him out of the aspect. I believe [Viktor] Gyokeres has received to attend.”
Merino over Gyokeres
Gyokeres has made two appearances off the bench since returning from an damage that stored him out since November 1.
Merino changed him at half time towards Burnley – the sport through which the Sweden striker picked up his knock.
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And within the time he has been out, together with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, it is the Spaniard who has starred up entrance.
Arteta will now have a tricky choice to make on who to begin at striker, with his £63.7million signing again match.
Gyokeres has had a tricky begin to life within the Premier League, solely scoring 4 occasions in his first 12 top-flight video games.
He went 5 league outings with out a aim till he discovered the web at Turf Moor, however he did web twice in Europe in that point.
In 16 video games for the Gunners, Gyokeres has contributed six objectives, whereas Merino has eight contributions in 20 matches this season.
Rotation is to be anticipated within the busy festive interval, however the striker spot might be Merino’s to lose as issues stand.
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‘What would we’ve performed this season?’
Clarke additionally mentioned Merino’s pivotal position at Arsenal to date on Inside Gooners, naming his finest place as a false-nine.
“Mikel Merino is among the most clever footballers to have worn the Arsenal badge in a very long time,” Clarke said. “He’s tremendous sensible and he can adapt to totally different conditions.
“He doesn’t get any headlines, however he does such job for the crew, the way in which he pulls off defenders and hyperlinks play… however he’s additionally a terrific finisher as nicely.
“Merino is popping into a kind of under-the-radar signings that you just assume, ‘Thank goodness for that!’ If we hadn’t signed him, what would we’ve performed this season, and the back-end of final season?
“There are quite a lot of subtleties to Merino’s recreation that possibly we’re all responsible of not appreciating from the outset.
“If somebody was to say, ‘What’s Merino’s finest place?’ I’m calling it now, Mikel Merino is a false 9. I believe he’s higher there than in midfield.”
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