The 2025/26 season has been a tough one for Mikel Merino. Arsenal may have won the Premier League title, but the Spaniard failed to play a major role in their success.
The Spaniard suffered a stress fracture in his foot in January and although he was fit for the final weeks of the season, he has not started a single game in 2026.
But now he’s back with a vengeance and lit up the World Cup with winning goals in back-to-back matches against Portugal and Belgium.
For those accustomed to observing Merino in recent years, that will come as no surprise.
How Merino became the ultimate big-time player
Merino’s rise to stardom is quite the story.
The midfielder was sold to Newcastle for just £10m in 2018 and joined Real Sociedad. He spent six fantastic years at San Sebastian before signing a contract worth around £32 million with Arsenal.
The price was quite a bargain. He was initially signed as a midfielder. The Spanish international quickly became one of Europe’s most threatening goalscorers. Whenever you need a magical moment, call Merino.
He has featured on many occasions, particularly as a centre-forward at a time of need for Arsenal in the 2024/25 season.
With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured at the start of 2025, Merino became a makeshift striker and was spectacular. It all started with that famous brace against Leicester City, and the 30-year-old went on to score six goals in 12 games as a number nine.
He has scored a total of 10 goals and provided 6 assists in 23 games as a striker. This is a remarkable record, and it gets even better when you look at the percentage of game-changing goals.
Ten of Merino’s 11 Premier League goals (91%) can be classified as game-changing strikes. What does that mean? Well, they are recorded as the first goal of the match, the tying goal, or the goal that gives the team the lead.
Game-changing goals for Arsenal from January 2023 onwards (PL only) | ||
|---|---|---|
player | overall goal | Goal that changes the flow of the game |
1. Merino | 11 | 10 |
2. Gabriel | 11 | 9 |
3. Trossard | 27 | 17 |
4. Jesus | 16 | 9 |
5. Odegaard | 19 | 10 |
6. Rice | 15 | 8 |
If you thought the departing Leandro Trossard was clutch, his teammates are on a completely different level. The regularity with which he appears when you need him most is amazing.
But how much football will Merino receive next season? Arsenal are working hard to sign a new midfielder.
Arsenal aim to sign new big star
Midfield is a key priority for the Gunners this summer and that could spell bad news for Merino, who is likely to face increased competition for minutes.
He could be joined by Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Lille’s Ayyoub Bouadi. However, the most likely target at the moment is Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães.
Arsenal want players and he wants them. Unfortunately, Thun are set to demand £100m for the Brazilian, the same amount they sold Sandro Tonali to Spurs.
According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are reportedly interested in the player and would like him to leave St James’ Park.
However, if Arsenal are his preferred destination and both teams play, he is likely to choose the Premier League champions instead.
Guimarães, Newcastle’s captain who turned 29 in November, will provide the same kind of experience and leadership/coaching skills that Merino has brought to Arsenal in recent years.
As it happens, this Brazilian is rather embracing himself. He is the definition of a big-time player, a player who plays against top teams all the time, a player who enjoys playing in front of television cameras.
In January’s 2-0 win over Crystal Palace, which was decided by two goals after 70 minutes, Bruno scored the first goal and played a key role in the second. Eddie Howe paid tribute to him, saying: “He played the role of captain, because those games are always defined by the really important moments of the game. And he came up with big things for us, and he did them countless times.”
In the same week, Guimarães scored the equalizer from the penalty spot in second-half stoppage time in a 4–3 win against Leeds. He also scored against Liverpool and Tottenham last season, and over the last few years has become a habit of being the man who shows up when it matters most.
Fulham in particular must be tired of seeing him. In 2024, he scored the winning goal in the 81st minute, and in 2025, thanks to the Brazilian superstar, he scored the winning goal in the 90th minute to tie both teams. The 28-year-old also appeared at key moments for his country. He’s the man who assisted Gabriel Martinelli’s final winning goal in the last-32 match against Japan.
In fact, if Arsenal are going to give Merino a lesser role next season, finding a player who is equally clutch in the big moments will be key. Guimarães is that man.
