Arsenal suffer another injury blow

Arsenal could be active on the deadline day

by Suvojit Banerjee February 2, 2026
Mikel Arteta

After Manchester City dropped points last weekend and Aston Villa lost their game, Arsenal have reinstated their six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table.

However, this is where things could get tricky for the Gunners. They have been down this same road for the last few years. And they don’t want to repeat the same history.

Injuries and the lack of bench strength have derailed their campaigns for the last few years. Even after leading the Premier League table for a long time, they failed to win the Premier League.

They don’t want to experience the same failure this season. That is why Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta did everything they could to strengthen their bench.

However, one key player from Arteta’s first team has suffered an injury that could keep him out for the rest of the season.

According to an official statement from Arsenal, they confirmed that Mikel Merino has suffered a foot injury. The statement read:

“Further to sustaining a foot injury towards the end of our game against Manchester United on January 25, 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.”

So, to find a cover for Merino, Arsenal could be active on the deadline day. They could look to ensure their title doesn’t get affected due to this injury.

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