The £45m star is unlikely to start for Arsenal again.

Apart from the 10-man draw, it has been a surprisingly short spell for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

They didn’t lose a game after a tough week against Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea. They have since topped the Premier League and Champions League heading into the start of December.

Despite injuries once again plaguing the team, they managed to make it this far. Ben White and Bukayo Saka were asked after Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Brentford whether they had the best squad depth in the league.

Ever the joker, White simply replied, “I don’t know.” Well, Ben, we’ll give you the answer. Arsenal’s squad is elite and they have a good chance of winning the league.

Andrea Berta worked hard to strengthen the squad over the summer, which is no surprise given the fitness issues that once again plagued Arteta’s side throughout the 2025/26 season.

At the moment they are without senior leaders at the back in Gabriel Magalhães and William Saliba.

Until last week, they were without all three strikers. Gabriel Jesus and Victor Goqueres returned to the match-day squad, but that means emergency centre-forward Mikel Merino will have to pull the line again. He did it brilliantly.

Mikel Merino: Arsenal’s elite number 9

Almost a year ago, when the January transfer window opened, all the talk was about Arsenal needing a new striker.

Kai Havertz became more important and Jesus, who was enjoying a great festive period, scored. that When he scored his hat-trick against Crystal Palace, there was a sense that the Gunners needed an elite goalscorer to win the league.

Then Jesus injured his anterior cruciate ligament, further increasing Arsenal’s need for a new forward. they didn’t sign. What happened next? Havertz injured his hamstring. Of course I did.

As a result, Arteta sought out-of-the-box solutions. Could Merino be the emergency No. 9 that Arsenal so desperately need?

Amazingly, he was able to do it. It all started with two goals against Leicester City. The Londoners were struggling to find goals, but the Spaniard came off the bench to save his team.

Since then, he hasn’t looked back. He finished the 2024/25 season with nine goals, scoring against Real Madrid, Chelsea and Liverpool along the way. I’m kidding, but he really looks like an elite striker right now.

The arrival of Gokeres should have ensured Merino was no longer needed as a striker again, but the former Real Sociedad man was thrust back into the spotlight when the Swede limped off against Burnley last month.

So, is he the first choice to lead the line now? Quite possible. Some of Arsenal’s best performances this season, mainly wins against Spurs and Bayern, have come with Merino at the top.

Although he didn’t score a goal in these games, he structured his play well, linked up with his teammates and improved Arsenal’s all-round attacking play.

He remains close to scoring, scoring twice in Europe against Slavia Prague and finding the back of the net in back-to-back Premier League wins over Chelsea and Brentford. Both of those goals were great headers.

So, with Gokeres and Jesus back on the bench, who is best suited to be Arsenal’s main player?

What Merino Forms Mean to Gokeres and Jesus

Arsenal’s summer big-money signings have been shocking over the past two seasons. In the 2024/25 season, Gokeres scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting, but he has not reached similar heights since returning to England.

The Swede is constantly improving and his injury against Burnley, the game in which he actually scored, was typical.

Gokeres was starting to find his footing in the top flight, but he would be lying if he said Arsenal weren’t a better team with Merino at the moment.

Therefore, for the time being, the former Coventry City player will have to be patient in looking for a way back into the team.

The same can be said of £45 million man Jesus, whose days in Reds and Whites sadly look pretty bleak.

The Brazilian has been missing since injuring his anterior cruciate ligament in the FA Cup 11 months ago and is delighted to be back. Before that injury happened, he was definitely on the cusp of his Arsenal career, scoring six goals in six games during the festival period.

This injury meant Arsenal had to strengthen in the summer. Gokeres were a necessity. Because of this, Jesus has already been lowered in the nomination rankings.

However, Merino’s emergence as a striker and the fact that he has become a genuine option in that position means that Jesus’ Arsenal career appears to be over.

With Havertz’s return not far away and Merino, Gokeres and the German all set to compete for the centre-forward spot, Jesus is unlikely to start another game for the club.

There are plenty of games scheduled over the next few weeks, but Arsenal’s depth means the former Manchester City striker is likely to pay the ultimate price by leaving the Emirates Stadium.

It probably won’t be the way he or his supporters wanted his England career to end. He’s a cult hero and fun to watch when he’s at his peak. But Arsenal now only have better options and options for players who are in good form.

Merino’s shock only rubbed more salt into the wound. At the moment, he looks like Arsenal’s best centre-forward. How surprising is that?