Football pundit Paul Merson has publicly advised Arsenal to pursue the signing of former Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek, following confirmation of a significant injury to midfielder Mikel Merino. The recommendation comes as the Gunners face a potential midfield crisis during a crucial period of the season.
Merino's Injury and Recovery Timeline
Mikel Merino, the Spanish international, sustained a foot injury during Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United last month. The club has confirmed that Merino will undergo surgery imminently and is expected to miss an extended period of action.
A statement on Arsenal's official website read: '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.'
Arsenal's Current Midfield Options
Manager Mikel Arteta currently relies on Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, and Christian Norgaard as his primary central midfield options. An injury to any one of this trio would leave Arsenal vulnerable and potentially jeopardise their ambitions for silverware across multiple competitions.
The Premier League leaders are understood to be exploring the loan market for potential reinforcements. Merson believes that a player of Loftus-Cheek's calibre would be an ideal fit to bolster the squad.
Merson's Recommendation for Loftus-Cheek
Speaking about the 30-year-old AC Milan midfielder, who has been linked with a January move to Aston Villa, Merson said: 'Oh absolutely worth looking at. Loftus-Cheek is a very good player with Premier League experience. That would be a no-brainer. But there'd be a lot of other clubs that could need Loftus-Cheek, definitely.'
Merson emphasised that Loftus-Cheek's familiarity with the Premier League makes him a particularly attractive option for Arsenal during this critical phase of the season.
Other Transfer Rumours and Long-Term Planning
Arsenal have also been linked with an audacious move for Newcastle's Sandro Tonali, although the Magpies have reportedly no intention of selling the Italy international. Merson suggested that securing a player of Tonali's quality would represent a strategic signing aimed at long-term dominance.
He added: 'He's a proper player if Arsenal went and got him. You just have to keep on buying better players, better players. I'd take him tomorrow morning. Arsenal are going for Champions League, Premier League, they're in four cups still. This is not just planning for this season, they're planning to dominate for five or six years. He's a phenomenal team, he'd walk into anybody's team in the world in my opinion.'
The injury to Merino has undoubtedly forced Arsenal to reassess their midfield depth as they compete on multiple fronts. Merson's advice highlights the immediate need for experienced reinforcements to maintain their challenge for trophies this season.
