At a Glance:
- Arsenal face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
- Mikel Merino has been absent with an injury since January.
- The Spanish midfielder has been passed fit and available for the Palace clash.
Mikel Arteta will finally be able to call upon Mikel Merino again, as the Spanish midfielder has been passed fit for Arsenal’s game against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Gunners were crowned Premier League champions on Tuesday when Manchester City failed to beat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
Wild celebrations ensued on the streets of North London, as this ended Arsenal’s 22-year wait for a league title. While attention now turns towards securing a historic double when Arteta’s men travel to Budapest to take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final next week, they must first navigate their final league match of the season again Palace.
A buoyant Selhurst Park awaits, and Arteta must carefully toe the line between losing momentum and risking players who need protecting ahead of the European showdown in Hungary.
However, he will be able to select Merino, who is finally fit and available after four months out with a foot injury.
According to HandofArsenal, the Euro 2024 winner is ready to be selected for the trip to South London.
🚨 Mikel Merino is fit and ready to be selected against Crystal Palace. https://t.co/m8wBAW4P03
— HandofArsenal (@HandofArsenal) May 22, 2026
Merino last played in Arsenal’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester United back in January. He has since gone through a period where he’s been unable to walk, using a mobility scooter to get around.
Now, he could be set for a glorious return to action in the sun at Selhurst Park, playing as a Premier League champion.
Could Mikel Merino feature for Arsenal in the Champions League final?
Arsenal fans will need to temper their expectations of Merino for the remaining two matches. The 29-year-old hasn’t played a minute of football for four months, so isn’t likely to be match sharp from the outset.
Against Palace, Arteta will hope to give Merino a short cameo off the bench to try to rebuild his fitness. Given the low stakes in this game, this is a risk Arteta can afford to make.
Whether Merino can feature in the Champions League final or not is a different question. Not playing for such a long time and then being thrown into a game of this magnitude and expecting him to perform is a big ask.
It’s likely that Arteta won’t call upon the Spain international, unless Arsenal are chasing a goal late on, and need a focal point to be added to their attack.
Otherwise, he’ll probably be left on the bench.
