Merino to undergo foot operation as Arsenal face midfield blow

Arsenal fear Mikel Merino could miss the rest of the season after the midfielder was ruled out for foot surgery.

The Spanish international missed Saturday’s win at Leeds United due to the injury, which first occurred in the closing stages of Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United on January 25.

In a club statement, Arsenal confirmed the extent of the problem:

“Further to sustaining a foot injury towards the end of our game against Manchester United on January 25th, subsequent assessments and specialist reviews have confirmed Mikel Merino has a bone injury in his right foot.

“Mikel will have surgery in the coming days and will then begin his recovery and rehabilitation programme.

“Mikel is expected to be out of action for an extended period, with the aim of returning to full training before the end of the season.

“Everyone is fully focused on supporting Mikel to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”

While no definitive recovery timeline has been provided, there are concerns the 27-year-old could be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.

Merino addressed the setback on Instagram, writing:

“Time to stop now with a foot injury. Sometimes life throws this kind of challenge when it is less convenient. Just another opportunity to be strong, resilient and overcome it. We have the best medical team and together we will come back stronger.