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Academy players join senior training aiming for breakthroughs
Published : 22 Feb 2025, 01:40 AM
Arsenal have been training with different players leading the line and not just midfielder Mikel Merino, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday as the club grapples with an injury crisis that has left them without a recognised striker available.
Arsenal strikers Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are out for the season with knee and hamstring injuries, respectively, while wide forwards Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are still recovering from hamstring issues.
Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri are Arteta's only options in attack but Merino came on as a substitute against Leicester City last weekend and grabbed a late brace playing in a striker's role in a crucial 2-0 win.
When asked if he has told Merino he would play as a makeshift striker against West Ham United on Saturday, Arteta told reporters: "No, not to him or to other players. I want the players, when they are on that pitch, taking the initiative.
"We trained the last few weeks with different players. He (Merino) has been one of them, with other players as well."
Arsenal's academy players have also been called up to senior team training in the hope that they can make breakthroughs like Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly did this season.
"We have players training with us now regularly, learning our system and getting very close and obviously we might have to use them. They look ready which is a good thing," Arteta said.
Second-placed Arsenal, who have a game in hand, can cut Liverpool's lead to five points if they beat West Ham while Manchester City could also do them a favour in the title race if they beat the league leaders on Sunday.
"We have to do our job. It's going to be a tough one tomorrow. If we do that we will be looking at that game on Sunday (between Liverpool and City)," Arteta said.
"There are 13 games to go, there is a lot to play. We need to be there. We are very experienced in the Premier League and know how difficult every opponent is."
Arteta said defender Ben White is ready to play after a lengthy injury absence but he was unsure if Martinelli and Saka would return ahead of their Champions League last 16 tie against PSV Eindhoven in the first week of March.
"I don't know, that's a question for the doctor. They are progressing really well," Arteta said.
"Gabby (Martinelli) is a bit ahead of Bukayo but we will have to see how the boys are feeling and what we are prepared to do."
