Arsenal Football Club’s manager, Mikel Arteta, has confirmed that new signing Mikel Merino will be sidelined for several weeks due to an injury sustained in training.
In his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s upcoming fixture against Brighton at the Amex Stadium, Arteta disclosed that Merino, the Spanish international, suffered a shoulder injury following a collision with teammate Gabriel Magalhães. The injury occurred during a training session and has been diagnosed as a possible fracture.
Arteta said, “Yes, it is very unfortunate. Yesterday, he had a collision and he has got a shoulder injury, unfortunately. It looks like he is going to be out for a few weeks. He was really excited, and everything was looking really good. He landed on the floor and Gabi landed on top of him, and it looks like he has a small fracture, probably. We have to see. He was in so much pain; we have to wait to do some more tests.”
Mikel Merino, who completed his transfer from Real Sociedad earlier this week, joined Arsenal for a reported fee of approximately £31.6 million on a long-term deal. The injury is a significant setback for the midfielder, who was expected to play a crucial role in Arsenal’s squad this season.
The club will monitor Merino’s recovery and keep fans updated on his progress as they prepare for their match against Brighton.
