Jamie Carragher has labeled an Arsenal star as an 'absolute revelation' after his revival in performances in the second half of the campaign.
The player in question was signed by the Gunners last summer for a fee of £ 33 million in a movement that lifted eyebrows from some quarters.
He had struggled for consistency after a move from Laliga Side Real Sociedad – the failure to have an impact immediately.
This was due to Mikel Arteta who chose not to sign a striker in a movement that cost him a lot in the Premier League title race after injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
However, he enjoyed a much better second half of the campaign since he was deployed as a auxiliary attack in their absence.
His improved impressions on the field saw him compared to Havertz by Carragher prior to the Arsenal match against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.
The former defender of Liverpool broadcast Mikel Merino because he could turn his fortunes in such an impressive way during his first campaign in North Londs.
Carragher said on Sky Sports: 'He is a similar profile such as oats, Merino. Physically he gives your set pieces, he crashes in the box, makes runs.
“He has been great. I looked at him a bit at the start of the season and wondered if they had taken the wrong type of player.
'There can still be an argument for that, in the sense that Arsenal still misses a little creativity, but if you look at what the boy has done since Havertz has been injured, he has been an absolute reserve.
“You would be reluctant to take that role to him if you were Arteta.”
The comments from Carragher were absent with Merino in the team that Mikel Arteta opted for their match against the Eagles.
Merino played a crucial role in Arsenal's Run to the semi -final of the Champions League while filling himself as an improvised Vooruit.
He scored the third goal of Arsenal in the first stage of their draw against Real Madrid to give them a deserved 3-0 victory with the Emirates, before assisting in the Bernabeu for Bukayo Saka a week later.
With the Premier League title, anything but insured to Anfield, the hope of Arsenal on silverware exclusively on success in the Champions League.
They are confronted with a PSG side that Liverpool and Aston Villa have already switched off and are undefeated in Ligue 1.
The first stage takes place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday 29 April, with the return bone that will follow in Paris on 7 May.