Mikel Arteta has given an harm replace on summer season arrival Mikel Merino, who suffered a fractured shoulder throughout his first coaching session with Arsenal.

The Spanish midfielder made the transfer to north London from Actual Sociedad in August after being recognized as a key goal for the Gunners in the course of the summer season switch window. Nevertheless, the membership had been rocked on the eve of his potential debut, towards Brighton & Hove Albion, after receiving information that the Euro 2024 winner can be sidelined after struggling a nasty harm in coaching.

It was later revealed that Merino had fractured his shoulder and would want two months to get well. The information got here as a blow for Arsenal, however boss Arteta has confirmed that the participant is doing ‘higher’.

“It’s a gradual course of as a result of it’s a bone and it takes some time to heal,” he instructed reporters forward of Sunday’s north London derby. “He’s progressing properly and he’s already performing some stuff.

Mikel Arteta

Arteta has addressed Merino’s harm / David Rogers/GettyImages

“He’s working extraordinarily exhausting. We’re utilizing this time as properly to ensure he understands numerous issues that he has numerous questions on, so when he’s again he is able to go and influence the workforce.

“It is extremely obscure the therapeutic of the bone. I feel in the mean time he doesn’t have numerous signs, so you may velocity up [his recovery] in a short time as a result of he has not misplaced anything, however we now have to attend and see.”

Arsenal are set to face rivals Tottenham Hostpur within the north London derby on Sunday. They are going to accomplish that with, probably, two senior midfielders accessible after Declan Rice’s controversial crimson card towards Brighton and Martin Odegaard’s brutal harm whereas on worldwide obligation with Norway.

Thomas Partey and Jorginho stay Arteta’s solely different senior midfielders after Fabio Vieira’s mortgage transfer to Porto, nevertheless Kai Havertz – who started his Arsenal profession in midfield earlier than excelling as a striker – might drop again if wanted.

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