Arsenal will have to turn to alternative options if they can’t get a deal for Mikel Merino over the line.
Arsenal have been chasing Mikel Merino for some time this summer. Mikel Arteta is clearly keen to bolster his midfield contingent, and for good reason.
Jorginho has shown signs of decline in pre-season, as he looked off the pace against Lyon in the Emirates Cup win last time out.
Meanwhile, Thomas Partey’s injury record means that the manager cannot afford to pin hopes on the Ghanaian being able to remain fit and available throughout the campaign.
On top of that, Arteta will want the freedom to move Declan Rice between the No. 6 role at the base of his midfield, and the more advanced No. 8 position, to the left of Martin Odegaard.
In order to shift Rice around the pitch like this, though, Arteta will need another option able to sit and screen the back four, beyond Jorginho or Partey.
Arsenal haven’t met Merino’s asking price, as Real Sociedad seem determined to drive a hard bargain over the future of the Euro 2024 winner. If that deal falls through, then Arteta may wish to consider a couple of potential internal solutions.
Ben White and Jurrien Timber could step up if Arsenal miss out on Mikel Merino
One option to take up this role in the squad is Hale End academy ace Myles Lewis-Skelly. The 17-year-old was used extensively throughout pre-season, and impressed.
Arteta has promised Lewis-Skelly that he will get opportunities at senior level if he can show that he deserves them. However, it is likely too early to hand the teenager a particularly important role in he squad.
In the meantime, Ben White and Jurrien Timber have both successfully played in the middle of park earlier in their careers, prior to joining Arsenal.
Marcelo Bielsa trained White as a midfielder whilst he was at Leeds United. Meanwhile, Timber was occasionally called upon to take up that role in his Ajax days, as reported by The Athletic.
Both players have the technical quality to play in midfield, are familiar with Arteta’s system, and whilst one is shifted into the middle of the park, the other can remain at right-back, meaning that there would be no issues created in the full-back role by this shift either.
Mikel Arteta must be ready to take risks with his Arsenal squad
Arteta has not used White or Timber extensively in midfield before, but many of his players are versatile, and given that there is so much competition for places at the Emirates Stadium these days, the manager has to be open to shifting players around in order to afford them game time and to address problems as they arise.
Arteta needs to trust his players to play for him, otherwise he will find more of them in the situation that Reiss Nelson now faces. The winger only made one Premier League start last season, clearly isn’t in the manager’s plans, and now feels somewhat stuck at the club.
Arsenal are yet to sell Nelson this summer, as no viable suitor has pushed hard enough to secure a deal.
