'The things people come up with' - Mikel Merino reveals he 'laughed' at claims he would play as a striker as Arsenal star explains why Mikel Arteta left it 'until the last minute' before telling Gunners star of new position

Arsenal's makeshift number 9 sat down with The Guardian ahead of Spain's Nations League tie against the Netherlands. On his recent change in position, Merino says he saw speculation he would lead the line for the Gunners after Kai Havertz's injury, but didn't expect Mikel Arteta to actually deploy him as a striker.

Before the Gunners Premier League tilt against Leicester, one of the analysts mentioned the switch to Merino. It wasn't until a few hours before kickoff that it was confirmed. The Spaniard believes this was to remove any 'stress' around switching positions.

Merino told The Guardian: "We’re on a training camp in Dubai and Kai Havertz unfortunately gets injured. There’s a plague of injuries and we don’t have any attackers.

“On social media, even from friends, I was seeing messages about me playing up front and just laughed. I’m thinking ‘the things people come up with’, ‘the stuff they invent’. But during the morning stroll before the Leicester game, one of the analysts mentions playing as a forward, a false nine: drop to receive, ‘fix’ the centre‑backs. He asks how I feel about it, was I OK with it? And I said: ‘Whatever you need.’

"I think they did it deliberately, not telling me until the last minute because they know I like to have everything under control, have lots of information, and by not telling me earlier they removed the ‘stress’.”

Merino has started the past seven games up front for Arsenal, scoring four goals in that span. Since making the switch, he has outscored Harry Kane, Lautaro Martinéz and Erling Haaland.

Merino will likely drop back into a midfield role for Spain, as they take on the Netherlands in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Nations League over the international break.