Arsenal fans are eagerly anticipating seeing summer signing Mikel Merino in action after his move from Real Sociedad. The Spanish international is yet to make his debut after picking up an unfortunate injury in his first Gunners’ training session following a £32.67m move.
“Yesterday he had a collision and he has a shoulder injury,” Mikel Arteta said back in August. “It looks like he’s 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.”
The original diagnosis for Merino was six weeks and Arteta has already revealed his plan to keep him close to the squad alongside his recovery. The 28-year-old appears to be settling in well with his Gunners’ teammates and was captured in public at David Raya’s birthday without his arm sling as well as the first-term photoshoot.
Merino won’t be involved for Arsenal’s trip to the Etihad this weekend with mid-October a more plausible return date with a November return the worst-case scenario. It means the Spaniard will miss games against Bolton, Leicester City, PSG and Southampton with the international break a sensible target.
