Mikel Arteta says Arsenal summer signing Mikel Merino could return to the squad next week.
The 28-year-old midfielder is yet to make his Arsenal debut after suffering a shoulder injury in his first training session with the club.
“Tomorrow is too soon,” Arteta told the media on Friday ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League fixture against Leicester on Saturday. “Next week we’ll see.
“He had partial training today. He’s been working so hard. It’s looking good. It’s about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact basically.”
“We are trying to keep him in the cage, because he’s been pushing everyone — the physios, the doctors, everybody — and he’s ready to go, and he really wants it. I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him with contact, and he looked really good in training.”
Doubt persists over goalkeeper David Raya ahead of the weekend, who missed Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Bolton Wanderers with a thigh problem.
“We have to wait 24 hours to see if it’s looking good or not that good,” said Arteta.
However, Arteta revealed that Jurrien Timber and Ben White had both taken part in full training on Friday and were likely to be available for the Leicester game.
Myles Lewis-Skelly came off against Bolton looking to be in some pain, but Arteta confirmed he is also available for the weekend.
“He’s fine,” said Arteta. “He was cramping but he has no issues.”
A month since his arrival from Real Sociedad, Arteta was excited by the prospect of finally being able to select Merino.
“He’s going to bring first an unbelievable football brain,” said the Arsenal manager. “He’s so intelligent, the way he decides, he occupies spaces, he makes decisions. It’s very rare to see that.
“And he’s a very talented player, in every phase — defending, attacking. He can do things that complement really well the quality we have in midfield. Physicality, for sure, and then he’s a big threat. The moment that he’s in the opponent’s box, you’ll see that he’s a big, big threat.”
Arsenal have faced criticism this week for their tactics against Manchester City, but Arteta says that will not be the motivating factor for the Leicester game.
“I want to play well and deserve the three points, not to silence anybody,” he explained. “And to make our people proud. That’s it.”
(Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
