Arsenal received a timely boost in fitness during their season, with Mikel Merino returning to full training ahead of the Premier League final against Crystal Palace and the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
The situation around Arsenal could not be better. Mikel Arteta’s side have already been confirmed as Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth, and they will lift the trophy after Sunday’s trip to Selhurst Park.
They also have a chance to complete the historic double when they face PSG in the Champions League final on May 30.
Merino’s return is a big moment because he has been missing since late January but his return is now a big certainty for the Gunners, according to HandofArsenal’s inside source on X.
Mikel Merino has not played for four months
The midfielder has been sidelined for four months after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot.
He is now back with the senior squad at Arsenal’s Sobha Realty Training Center and could feature against Crystal Palace this weekend.
That is important for Arsenal because the team is now entering the most critical part of the campaign.
The league title is already secured, so Sunday’s game against Palace has no more pressure or points.
It’s about rhythm, celebration and avoiding unnecessary injuries ahead of the biggest European game in the club’s modern history.
Merino may not be thrust into a bigger role, but getting him back gives Arteta another experienced option.
He brings control, physical presence and intelligence to the midfield.
In the Champions League final, even a 20-minute outing for such a player would be crucial.
The Gunners are very careful with their players
The latter is often decided in the smallest of details, and Arsenal will want every possible option ready.
There was also caution for other key players. Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and David Raya were not part of the main training team, rather they worked separately.
However, the club has reportedly played down concerns that the players have been training individually in the gym rather than being treated as serious injury problems.
That approach makes perfect sense. Arsenal have already done the hard work in the Premier League. Arteta does not need to take risks with his most important players now.
Saka, Saliba and Raya are all vital to Arsenal’s Champions League hopes, so managing their career is only common sense.
The only person absent was Max Dowman, but that comes with a very familiar explanation: a teenager in the middle of his GCSE exam week.
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