Arsenal have been dealt a significant setback with a potentially severe injury to their latest acquisition, Mikel Merino, during his debut training session with the team.
The 28-year-old midfielder was officially announced as an Arsenal player on Tuesday, arriving from Real Sociedad in a transfer valued at over £30 million.
His addition was expected to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s midfield lineup, especially following the club’s decision to loan out Fabio Vieira to Portuguese giants Porto.
Merino, who played a pivotal role for Spain in their victorious Euro 2024 campaign earlier this summer, had been on Arsenal’s radar for quite some time.
However, his much-anticipated debut will be delayed, as Arteta disclosed during a Friday press conference that Merino had sustained a suspected fractured shoulder following a collision during training.
“It was very unfortunate,” Arteta said, explaining the incident. “Yesterday he had a collision and he has a shoulder injury, unfortunately. It looks like he is going to be out for a few weeks. [It was his] first session.
“He was really excited and everything was looking really good. He landed on the floor and Gabi [Gabriel Magalhaes] landed on top of him and it looks like he has a small fracture probably.”
Regarding Merino’s possible return to action, Arteta added, “We have to see. He was in so much pain. We’ll have to do some more tests on that and then we’ll have more conclusive answers.”
Merino’s injury adds to Arsenal’s existing injury woes, with key defenders Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu already on the sidelines.
Additionally, striker Gabriel Jesus is battling a groin issue, further depleting Arteta’s options.
Despite these injury concerns, Arsenal has made an impressive start to the Premier League season.
They secured a win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on the opening day and followed it up with a solid 2-0 victory at Aston Villa, thanks to second-half goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey.
The Gunners currently sit third in the Premier League standings, trailing only Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion on goal difference. They are set to face Brighton in their final match before the first international break of the season.
In addition to Merino, Arsenal has bolstered their squad with the signings of Riccardo Calafiori and goalkeeper David Raya on permanent deals.
Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsdale has been loaned out to newly-promoted Southampton, reflecting Arsenal’s proactive approach in the transfer market.
