Just days after joining the club, Arsenal’s recent acquisition Mikel Merino suffered a major setback. The midfielder, who joined the Gunners from Real Sociedad earlier this week in a £31.6 million deal, fractured his shoulder during his very first training session at the club.
The injury occurred after a collision with defender Gabriel Magalhaes during Thursday’s training. Merino had been the most widely expected to make his debut in Arsenal’s upcoming Premier League clash against Brighton on Saturday. However, manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed the debut will be delayed because of the injury.
“Very, very unfortunate,” said Arteta during the news conference. “He collided in training and unfortunately, he damaged his shoulder. It looks like he’s going to be out for a few weeks. It is quite disappointing because he was very excited and looked promising on the first day of training.”
Also, Arteta confirmed that further tests are needed, though he suggested Merino is facing a number of weeks out. It is very disappointing news for Arsenal’s plans of integrating the highly-rated midfielder into their squad.
