'Gabi landed on top of him' - Mikel Merino suffers injury heartbreak as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirms £32m summer signing's debut will be delayed

The Spain international, who helped his country to continental glory at Euro 2024, had been hoping to hit the ground running at Emirates Stadium. Mikel Arteta had snapped up his fellow countryman as another option for a star-studded midfield unit in north London.

Merino will, however, see his Premier League debut for the Gunners delayed by a fitness setback. The 28-year-old has been laid low during a training exercise, with Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes involved in an unfortunate collision with his new team-mate.

Arteta has told reporters of seeing Merino ruled out of his immediate plans: “It's unfortunate. He has a shoulder injury and it looks like he will be out for a few weeks. He landed on the floor and Gabi landed on top of him, it's a fracture probably.”

Title hopefuls Arsenal, with six points picked up from two games in the 2024-25 campaign, are set to play host to Brighton on Saturday. Merino will not be involved in that fixture, with it yet to be determined when he will be cleared to make his bow in English football.