Mikel Merino has spoken about his and Martin Zubimendi’s battle for minutes in Arsenal’s midfield, stressing that both remain fully committed to the club despite their limited playing time this season.
Clear understanding of their situation and the manager’s trust
Merino said that he and Zubimendi both understand exactly where they stand at Arsenal. He said: "Both Martin and I are fully aware of the situation at Arsenal."
Merino insists that he and Zubimendi are happy at Arsenal and remain fully committed to the club, even though they have struggled for regular starts amid fierce competition in Mikel Arteta’s midfield. He says that neither he nor Zubimendi is concerned by their current situation at Arsenal.
Merino also underlined the faith shown in them by the manager and their acceptance of their present roles. He said: "It’s very difficult to get minutes. The manager has a lot of faith in us and we both understand what our current roles are."
Merino’s view of Arsenal’s strength and squad depth
Merino offered a glowing assessment of Arsenal’s level and the depth of the squad. He said: "In my view, it’s the best club in the world, the best team in the world right now, with a very deep squad where even those outside the starting 11 are of starting calibre."
He says it is very difficult to get minutes at Arsenal, and that the strength in depth is a key reason why he and Zubimendi have found regular starts hard to come by.
Response to Zubimendi’s Atletico Madrid links
Martin Zubimendi has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid. Zubimendi has played down the links, while Merino says both players remain committed to Arsenal.
Patience, training and hopes for future opportunities
Merino believes that chances will arrive over the course of a long campaign. He said: "It’s a long season and circumstances can easily change."
He added that both he and Zubimendi are staying patient as they wait for their chance. Merino said that they are fully committed to training as hard as they can, waiting for the manager to give them their opportunity and then proving themselves when it comes. He said: "We’re both staying calm and are fully committed to training as hard as we can, waiting for the manager to give us our chance and then, on the pitch, proving that we deserve to be there."
