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News
Paul Merson shares who he’d name in Arsenal front three after Kai Havertz injury as he rules out £32m option
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has a lot of thinking to do with regards to his team selection in wake of Kai Havertz’s season-ending injury.
Arsenal have confirmed that Havertz suffered a hamstring injury at the team’s training camp in Dubai, which will need surgery ahea﷽d of a long rehabilitation p🌌eriod.
Wit🐈h the transfer window having shut at the start of February, the Gunners now have just three options available t♓o them.
Arsenal could solely rely on their current first-team s𝄹qua🉐d, promote from the Hale End academy, or look at the free agent market for cover for Havertz.
Paul Merson has now spoken about what Arteta could do ൲in terms of centre-forward cover from the first𝔍-team players at his disposal.
The Highbury legend made it clear tꦜhat one option availabl🧸e to Arteta should be completely ruled out.
Paul Merson urges Arsenal not to use Mikel Merino in attack
Merson🍬, writing on , believes the solution to Arsenal’s front three dilemma is “staring them straight i♋n the face”.
He believes Raheem Sterling, Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard should start in attack and drift across the front lin𝔉e.
Merson also urged Arsenal to avoid using Mikel Merino as an auxiliary forward, saying the £♏32million man is simply not a goalscorer.
“I don’t like🐈 the idea of Mikel Merino playing up front,” said Merson. “I just don’t see it working.
“I’d give Sterling a coupꩲle of games up there and I say that because of his movement. He can stretch the play and create space.
“Once the game becomes🍸 tight and compact. that plays into the hands of other teams.
“When Arsenal can open 🍃the game up, it🐓 allows Odegaard to get on the ball and make things happen.
“It gives the likes of Nwaneri and Trossard time on the ball and with that I think Arsenal will b🅠e alright.
“Playing a Merino, he’s🐟 not a Havertz. He’s not a goalscorer.
“For me, i𓄧t’s staring them straight in the face. Play Sterling, Nwaneri and Trossard and I’d be telling them they can drift across the front three.”
Paul Merson’s exciting Ethan Nwaneri prediction
Merson believes Nwaneri now has an “unb♈elievable chance” of elevating himself to stardom now he’s set for regular💜 game time in Havertz’s𓂃 absence.
“The sky is the limi꧋t fo🦋r Nwaneri as a player and now he knows he’s in the team,” wrote Merson. “Who knows? This is what superstars are made of.
“You never know if a player is really going to be a superstar until t🃏hey get a consistent run of games, and this might be his moment. He’s got an unbelievable chance.”
Arteta re🐎cently revealed that he thinks Nwaneri could potentially play at🅠 No. 9 right away.
“We’re going to have to bﷺe very flexible in the front line,” Arteta said ear😼lier in February, prior to Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli’s injuries.
“And now the ones that we have and are fit, make sure that they stay fit and t🤪hey keep contributing.
“Leo can play in that position. Raheem has played in that position. Ethan, I think, can play in that position. Martinelli can play there𓂃.”