Given Arsenal’s luck with injuries this season, Mikel Arteta could have been forgiven for wanting none of his players to go on international duty this month.
Arsenal lost Martin Odegaard to an ankle injury playing for Norway last month, while last week both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli picked up muscle issues while away with their countries.
When it comes to Mikel Merino, though, Arteta will have been glad to see the midfielder head off with Spain for the past fortnight.
Merino has endured a difficult time since joining Arsenal from Real Sociedad in August in a deal worth over £30million.
He injured his shoulder in his very first training session which meant he could not make his debut until the start of this month.
Merino came off the bench for Arsenal twice in the week before this international break and two games with Spain allowed him the chance to get more minutes.
He played 28 minutes off the bench in their 1-0 win over Denmark last Saturday, before starting and completing just over an hour in a 3-0 victory over Serbia on Tuesday.
After making a first start for Spain this season, Merino will be eyeing a full debut for Arsenal this weekend when they head to Bournemouth.
Gunners fans have seen glimpses of what the 28-year-old can offer in his brief cameos so far and Arteta is excited about what is to come.
“He is going to bring an unbelievable football brain,” said Arteta. “He is so intelligent, the way he decides, he occupies spaces, he makes decisions and it is very rare to see that.
“He is a really talented player in every phase - defending and attacking. He can do things that compliments really well with the qualities we have in midfield.
“[He will bring] physicality, for sure, and then he is a big threat. The moment he is in the opponent’s box, you see that he is a big, big threat.”
Arsenal are yet to see Merino’s threat in the box - which he showcased at Euro 2024 with his winning goal for Spain in their quarter-final victory over Germany - but his physicality has been on show.
At 6ft 2in, the midfield adds even more height to Arteta’s team and he has been dominant in his two appearances off the bench for Arsenal.
Despite playing just 26 minutes on his debut against Paris Saint-Germain, Riccardo Calafiori was the only Arsenal player to win more tackles than Merino.
It was the same story with Merino’s 29 minutes against Southampton, although on this occasion Thomas Partey was the one to pip him.
Merino was also second when it came to interceptions made by Arsenal players in the 3-1 win over Saints, while he was joint top for the number of blocks made.
Arsenal have transformed into the best defence in Europe under Arteta and the early evidence suggest Merino will make them even meaner.
His arrival could also have an impact on where Declan Rice plays. Rice has been used on the left of a midfield-three since the turn of the year, but that is a spot Merino is likely to occupy.
It would mean Rice dropping to the base of midfield, the position he was originally expected to play when Arsenal signed him last year, and Thomas Partey could lose his place.
Rice playing as a No6 would give Arsenal’s defence even greater protection and provide their midfield with more dynamism.
Partey’s form has fluctuated this season, particularly in the second-half of games, and using him off the bench feels wise.
The final piece of the midfield jigsaw is Odegaard, but Arteta will have to wait to pair him with Merino.
The Norwegian is still working his way back to full fitness, however when he returns it should not take long for him to get up to speed.
Odegaard knows Merino from their time together at Sociedad and he urged him to join the club this summer.
Over a busy run of games ahead - which includes clashes against Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle - Merino will be out to show just why Odegaard, and Arteta, wanted him at Arsenal.
