Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has travelled to Spain to continue his rehabilitation | OneFootball

Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has travelled to Spain to continue his rehabilitation after breaking a bone in his right foot in January, according to the Sun.

The Gunners star got injured in January and Mikel Arteta has granted him time off to return home.

The Emirates Stadium club boss revealed last month that Merino was being kept around the Arsenal squad after surgery so he could be part of team meetings.

Arteta made it clear that a return to Spain to be around his family and friends could be beneficial to the midfielder.

It remains to be seen whether Merino would play again this season, but he is due to return to the North London club for the run-in.

The 29-year-old has six goals and three assists in 33 games for Arsenal this term and will be desperate to return and add to the tally.

The Gunners are hoping Merino can return to full training before the end of the season, and being in Spain for the time being could be beneficial to his recovery.

His absence is a blow for Arsenal, but the Gunners have managed their injuries well this term due to a quality in squad depth.

They have only eight Premier League games left this season and securing seven victories will be enough to win them the title.

Winning the Carabao Cup at the expense of Manchester City would be huge too, and Arteta will hope they have enough firepower to go all the way in the FA Cup and Champions League.

Arsenal cannot afford any more injuries during the run-in if they want to win major silverware this term, and the onus is on their manager to get the best out of his players without overworking them.