Spain manager Luis de la Fuente said it was an ‘honour’ to coach Mikel Merino as he labelled the Arsenal midfielder ‘one of the best in the world’.
Merino continued his remarkable goalscoring record for Spain, coming off the bench to net twice as the World Cup winners came from behind to win 2-1 against Croatia.
The 30-year-old, who also scored off the bench in Spain’s 3-1 win over Czechia last weekend, has five goals in his last eight appearances for La Roja, which have all come as a substitute.
And De La Fuente is keen to see the Arsenal midfielder get more appreciation from Spanish fans for his consistent knack of winning games off the bench.
‘I’ll go out there with the best possible attitude even while frustrated about not being able to play more… but this team is a family and that always shows.’
Merino will hope that his goalscoring form over the international break can help force his way into Mikel Arteta’s starting lineup in the coming weeks.
The 30-year-old is yet to start a league match for the Gunners this season, but did score when starting in the 4-2 Carabao Cup win over Ipswich Town.
And with Kai Havertz a doubt after injuring his hamstring with Germany, former Premier League striker Darren Bent thinks Arteta might consider starting Merino rather than Viktor Gyokeres against Leeds United on Saturday.
‘Both Merino and Havertz are so much better than Gyokeres with their back to goal; they link better with Odegaard and Saka, so that’s the problem that you’ve got,’ he told talkSPORT.
‘Gyokeres wants to run in behind and use your attributes – your pace and power – to get in behind and on the end of things and Arsenal just don’t play that way.
‘So it’s no given that he starts up top this weekend because Merino could as well.’
