Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta on "solution" to Mikel Merino injury as former player linked with Emirates return

Mikel Arteta has refused to rule out bringing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back to Arsenal as a replacement for Mikel Merino.

The Gunners are in a commanding position in the Premier League, with their six-point lead over second-placed Manchester City making them firm favourites for the title.

There are some concerns about the club's midfield depth given Mikel Merino has suffered a foot injury and is set to be sidelined for a significant period of time.

When asked by reporters if the club could sign former Gunners star Oxlade-Chamberlain as Merino's replacement, Arteta did not rule out the possibility, saying: "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.

"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 a solution and try."

Oxlade-Chamberlain is a currently without a club after leaving Besiktas, so he could be signed after the closure of the winter window on Monday.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain assessed: Is he the right solution?

Oxlade-Chamberlain has already been training with Arsenal's under-21s for the past months to regain fitness, so his integration into the first XI should not be too complicated.

The 32-year-old most recently played in the Premier League for Liverpool between 2017 and 2023, and he was in Turkey with Besiktas following his exit from Anfield.

Oxlade-Chamberlain at his best is a powerful ball carrier from midfield, capable of striking from distance and covering a significant amount of ground.

However, he has missed 226 days due to injury since 2022-23, and it is not clear if he would be able to play a role for Arsenal's first XI without ending up on the treatment table.

Will Arsenal win the Premier League title?

The significance of a six-point gap with 14 games remaining in the Premier League season should not be understated, especially as Manchester City have been so inconsistent this term.

Pep Guardiola's side have failed to win five of their last six top-flight outings, and they are set to play Liverpool on Sunday at Anfield.

It would not be surprising if the Gunners found themselves further ahead of City by the end of matchweek 25, and it is hard to see Arsenal failing to claim the title from such a position of strength.

Adding someone such as Oxlade-Chamberlain to the squad would not damage their chances of finishing first, but even if a deal does not materialise, the Gunners should be confident of claiming silverware at the end of the season.