Mikel Merino has played a limited role for Arsenal this season, starting just once in the Premier League

Mikel Merino's limited game time under Mikel Arteta could prompt an Arsenal exit, with his midfielder's father speaking about a potential return to Spain. The Spaniard regularly makes his presence felt, whether starting or coming off the bench, and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time for club and country.

Despite that, he has started just once in the Premier League this season. Merino has averaged 49.9 minutes per appearance over the past 18 months, with his limited involvement fuelling speculation over his future at the Emirates.

Spanish outlet La Razon (via Sport Witness) claims Atletico Madrid are interested in signing him on loan with an option to buy. The 30-year-old's contract runs until the summer of 2028, meaning Arsenal would enter the final year of his deal next summer.

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His father, Angel Miguel, recently discussed the prospect of a return to Spain. He said: "If he comes to La Liga, well, I suppose he’ll want to continue in that rhythm of competing in the Champions League and keeping that motivation, but obviously he’s in a comfortable situation there at Arsenal, isn’t he? Because he’s experiencing exactly what he wanted when he left Real Sociedad.”

Merino is keen to represent Spain at Euro 2028, but regular club football could be crucial to retaining his place in Luis de la Fuente’s squad - increasing the prospetcs of a transfer. Despite his limited game time, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta remains a firm admirer of the midfielder.

"He’s unbelievable," the Arsenal boss said. "First of all, he’s one of the most intelligent players that I’ve seen and I’ve worked with.

"Then the personality is just full of… I don’t know, he just wants to give for everybody. He thinks about everything, he thinks about everybody."

He added: "He has qualities that are unique in football and in our team, his capacity to arrive in the box, he’s capable of occupying different places, to play in different positions, to link play with people.

"And as a midfielder, the ability that he has to score goals like tonight is a different one that we’ve seen lately, but another incredible one."

Merino, signed by Arsenal from Real Sociedad in 2024 in a deal worth just under £32million, has 16 goals and eight assists under Arteta.

He often scores important goals, too, and his versatility proved invaluable in the 2024/25 season when a striker injury crisis meant the Spaniard was deployed as an emergency No.9.