Arsenal already have ideal Mikel Merino replacement as Mikel Arteta gives cryptic response

Arsenal are looking for a possible Mikel Merino replacement with Mikel Arteta asked about bringing in a player already training at the club

Mikel Arteta has not ruled out signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as a short-term replacement for the injured Mikel Merino. The former Gunners star has been training with the under-21s for the last few months to build up his fitness, but he did featured in a first-team session in late January.

The 32-year-old has been without a club since leaving Besiktas last summer with Arteta offering a four-word response to whether or not he is an option.

When asked about potentially offering him a contract, Arteta simply responded: "We explore every option." Oxlade-Chamberlain could be the perfect solution for Arsenal with Merino expected to miss a significant period with a foot issue in the defeat to Manchester United that requires surgery.

Earlier in his press conference, when asked about signing a new midfielder, Arteta stated: "Of course. I mean, when you lose a big player like this in the squad with four months to go and all the competitions to play for, you need to look.

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"We need to do everything that we possibly can to see if we have a player that is available. And if we don't, we keep what we have.

"At this level, especially for four months, you have to be a player that has the capacity to adapt immediately and impact the team. That's not easy. But if it were easy, we wouldn't be here. So, we need to find solutions and try."

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