Mikel Arteta is confident summer signing Mikel Merino will add an extra dimension to his team as the Spain international closes in on a return to full fitness.
The Gunners fought off competition from Barcelona to sign the 28-year-old midfielder during the transfer window but the 28-year-old’s start to life in north London suffered an immediate setback.
Injured in his first training session in freak circumstances when Gabriel Magalhaes landed on top of him and caused a fracture to his teammate’s shoulder, Merino has been forced to bide his time and wait to make an impact.
The former Newcastle player is closing in on a return to full fitness and although he won’t be ready for tomorrow’s game against Leicester, Arteta hinted it won’t be long until fans get a glimpse of why he was earmarked as a top target.
‘Tomorrow is too soon, the next week we will see,’ said the Arsenal manager.
‘He had partial training today, he’s been working so hard and is looking good. It is just about the healing of that bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact.
‘We’re trying to keep him in the cage because he’s been pushing everybody, the physios, doctors, everybody! And he’s ready to go, he really wants it.
‘I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him to contact and he looked really good in training.
‘He’s going to bring firstly an unbelievable football brain. He’s so intelligent, the way he decides, occupies spaces and makes positions, it’s very rare to see that.
‘Then a really talented player in every phase – defending, attacking, he can deliver and do things that complement really well with 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.’
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.