Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the club’s new addition, Mikel Merino, sustained a shoulder injury during his first training session with the team.
Merino, who recently joined Arsenal from Real Sociedad in a £31.6 million deal, collided with a teammate, resulting in a “small fracture” that will sideline him for several weeks.
During a press conference earlier today, August 30, ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Brighton on Saturday, August 31, Arteta expressed his disappointment over the injury.
“Yes, very unfortunate. Yesterday, he had a collision and suffered a shoulder injury. Unfortunately, it looks like he will be out for a few weeks,” Arteta stated.
“He was excited, and everything was looking really good. He landed on the floor, and Gabi landed on top of him, which probably caused a small fracture. We need to do more tests as he was in considerable pain.”
Despite Merino’s absence, Arsenal remains confident, having secured victories in their first two Premier League games against Wolves and Aston Villa. The team is now preparing to face Brighton at the Emirates, with both teams holding a perfect winning record so far this season.
