Arsenal players Guimaraes and Merino face contrasting fortunes

Arsenal players Bruno Guimaraes and Mikel Merino are facing differing fortunes at the Emirates Stadium. Guimaraes, who joined from Newcastle United in August 2026 for £75m, has struggled to secure a place in Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup. After failing to feature in his first five matches across the Premier League and Champions League, Guimaraes recently started in an away match against Brighton but was substituted after the team fell 3-0 behind. He has since been dropped from the squad in favor of Myles Lewis-Skelly.

In contrast, Mikel Merino has established himself as a key figure for the club. Having joined from Real Sociedad in August 2024, Merino has played 85 games and scored 16 goals, contributing to a Premier League title. Merino’s father, Miguel, noted that the midfielder chose Arsenal over interest from Real Madrid to compete at the highest level in the Champions League and pursue major trophies.