The Athletic’s David Ornstein has revealed that Arsenal could now make a deadline day signing after Mikel Merino picked up a foot injury.

The Gunners are having a great season with their 4-0 win over Leeds United at the weekend seeing them go six points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who drew at Tottenham on Sunday.

One player to miss the win against the Yorkshire outfit was Merino with Mikel Arteta confirming before the match that the Spaniard was out with a foot injury.

And the bad news at Arsenalwas revealed on Sunday evening that Merino will now be out “for an extended period” after breaking a bone in his foot.

A statement read: “Mikel is expected to be out of action for an extended period, with the aim of returning to full training before the end of the season. Everyone is fully focused on supporting Mikel to ensure he is back to full fitness as soon as possible.”

Merino posted on his Instagram page: “Time to stop now with a foot injury. Sometimes life throws this kind of challenge when less convenient.

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“Just another opportunity to be strong, resilient and overcome it. We have the best medical team, and together we will come back stronger. Thank you for all the support, it means everything to me.”

Just when it looked like being a quiet deadline day for the Gunners, Ornstein wrote in The Athleticthat Arsenal ‘are surveying the market for a potential loan as short-term cover but there are no guarantees of anything materialising at this stage’.

Journalist Charles Watts, who has covered Arsenal for years, has bemoaned the timing after the Gunners decided to loan out Ethan Nwaneri to Marseille, who could have covered Merino’s injury.

Watts wrote on X:?‘There’s a good young midfield player at Marseille apparently.

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‘Something like this was always my fear about letting Nwaneri leave. Undoubtedly good for his development, but given what’s at stake this season, my purely selfish preference was to keep the squad as strong as possible until the summer.

‘I know Nwaneri and Merino aren’t comparable in terms of profile, but Havertz is back now, who can do a lot of the Merino role if needed, and Nwaneri would provided another very valuable rotation option.

‘But what’s done is done – and playing week in, week out is clearly better for Nwaneri. No doubt about that. MLS as a midfield option could be useful now at times if needed.’

Sky Germanyreporter Florian Plettenberg later revealed that a deadline day move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali is on the cards.

Plettenberg said on X: ‘EXCLUSIVE | Arsenal are exploring a surprising Deadline Day move for Sandro #Tonali.

‘Very difficult at this stage, as Newcastle have rejected an initial approach.’