Mikel Merino Emerges as Arsenal's Makeshift Striker
When Mikel Merino joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in August 2024, few anticipated he would be considered for the number nine role.
Arriving at the Emirates Stadium as a 28-year-old Spain international midfielder, Merino brought with him over 200 La Liga appearances and a Euro title. Notably, he had never played as a striker.
However, just over a year later, Merino is now a serious contender for Arsenal's primary forward position, even as some injured players begin to return.
His latest crucial goal came during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea, where he once again demonstrated his value as a makeshift striker—a role he first assumed in February—due to the absence of injured players Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Viktor Gyokeres.
In February, he made a notable impact as a substitute, scoring twice in a 2-0 victory over Leicester, marking the first time he had played as a striker in his professional career.
With 16 goals in 63 appearances for Arsenal, the question arises: does his future lie in the center-forward position?
How Merino Became an Option for Arsenal
This is not the first instance of manager Mikel Arteta transforming a midfielder into a starting forward. Kai Havertz, who joined Arsenal primarily as a midfielder, has become a key player up front when fit.
Havertz’s intelligence, physical presence, and goal-scoring ability have allowed him to thrive in this role, qualities that Merino also possesses.
Despite his scoring contributions, Havertz's natural finishing ability has been questioned in the past, leading Arsenal to sign Viktor Gyokeres for £64 million in July.
Gyokeres, who netted 97 goals in 102 matches at Sporting in Portugal, has scored six goals in 15 appearances for Arsenal, four of which were in the Premier League. However, questions remain regarding his compatibility with Arsenal's style of play.
Meanwhile, Merino has consistently proven he can perform in high-stakes matches. In his last five games as a striker, he has recorded three goals and two assists.
The 29-year-old currently shares the title of Arsenal's joint-top scorer in the Premier League for 2025 with eight goals, five of which have come from headers, matching Brentford's Kevin Schade for the most headed goals in the league this year.
Gyokeres Returns, But Faces Competition
Arteta will be pleased to welcome back both Gyokeres and Brazilian Gabriel Jesus from injury, providing him with additional attacking options. However, Gyokeres may not automatically reclaim his spot in the starting lineup.
Having returned as a substitute against Chelsea after nearly a month sidelined with a hamstring injury, Gyokeres will need time to regain his fitness. In his absence, Arsenal's attack has flourished with Merino leading the line.
In the matches where Merino has played as a forward this season, Arsenal has scored 22 goals, including 13 in the last five games, with 11 coming from open play.
Despite criticism regarding their reliance on set-pieces this season, Merino has added a new dimension to their attack. While Gyokeres uses his physicality to penetrate defenses and make runs behind the backline, Merino creates space for his teammates in a different manner.
Standing over 6 feet tall, Merino has scored seven of his ten Premier League goals with his head. Among non-defenders with ten or more goals in the league's history, only James Scowcroft has a higher header ratio.
Merino has also begun to drop deeper into midfield, allowing wingers and midfielders to exploit spaces, as evidenced by Leandro Trossard's opening goal in the 4-1 win against Tottenham on November 23.
Eberechi Eze has also thrived alongside him, showcasing his best form recently, highlighted by a hat-trick against Spurs.
A regular for the Spanish national team in midfield, Merino is regarded as one of the most tactically astute players in Arsenal's squad and has already become part of the leadership group.
“It’s always good to score goals,” Merino stated. “The main thing is that it helps the team earn points or win games. Lately, I’ve been playing as a striker, and I’m trying to position myself correctly so my team can find me.”
In his quest to improve, he has sought advice from teammates. “I’ve asked the strikers who played for us last season for tips on positioning in the box and staying on the right side of defenders,” he explained. “I try to absorb information from every game, every action, and every striker I see on TV. That helps me.”
Merino's header against Chelsea marked his 20th goal in 2025 for both Spain and Arsenal, with Arteta noting that he “can smell danger.”
With Brentford next up at the Emirates on Wednesday and a busy festive schedule ahead, could Arteta be considering Merino as a viable long-term option in attack rather than just an emergency striker? The statistics and performances suggest this possibility is indeed on the table.