Mikel Merino's father admits Arsenal facing 'many doubts' over rare injury | OneFootball

Midfielder needed surgery on a broken bone

The Spaniard was reported to need surgery on a broken bone in his foot last week, with Mikel Arteta confirming before the January transfer window closed that the Gunners were scouting out potential opportunities on the market to replace Merino temporarily.

Arteta clarified at Elland Road that he thought Merino would be out for “four months”.

Merino’s father, Miguel, spoke to Spanish radio station Cadena SER, admitting that there were “many doubts” about his son’s return timeline.

“Despite the problem, he’s accepting the situation,” he said.

“Injuries never come at a good time and a player has to be prepared for whatever comes.

“It’s tough but we have to look on the bright side. There are much worse injuries than this one.

“There’s uncertainty because the recovery time isn’t well understood as there’s no history of this type of injury.

“It’s a stress fracture. It’s not an injury to the toes, it’s a bit more internal.

“It’s an injury that isn’t very well documented. There are many doubts regarding his recovery.”

Should the midfielder be ruled out long term, he would likely miss a potential Carabao Cup final should Arsenal defeat Chelsea in the semi-finals, as well as the north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on February 22.

The Gunners travel to Man City on April 18 as well, while their last 16 opponents in the Champions League are still unknown.