Arsenal handed 'excellent' injury boost ahead of Paris Saint-Germain Champions League clash

Arsenal have received a fresh injury boost after it emerged that new recruit Mikel Merino has been involved in the Gunners’ training sessions today (Monday 30 September), ahead of this week’s Champions League fixture against Paris Saint-Germain.

The midfielder was brought to the Emirates from Real Sociedad towards the end of the summer’s transfer window in a deal worth £32m. However, he sustained a shoulder injury in his first training session with the Gunners and has been out of action since.

Now, Football London has revealed that the Spanish star was back involved in first-team preparations at London Colney on Monday afternoon, just over 24 hours before the Gunners come face-to-face with the Ligue 1 giants at the Emirates Stadium. It is, of course, too soon to determine whether he will be in the squad to take on Luis Enrique’s side but, for the first time this season, the midfielder can now be considered for a spot in the Emirates match-day squad.

The report also noted that defenders Takehiro Tomiyasu and Riccardo Calafiori had been spotted on the training ground, as they appear to be closing in on returning to action.

Arteta could not, however, provide much of an update on star right-back Ben White with the head coach telling media ahead of the UCL clash: “No big news. We have a training session this afternoon. We have to review a few players. Overall in terms of returning players nothing to give back.”

When pressed on which players would be under said ‘review’, the Gunners boss added it was White and Calafiori who “are in contention and we have to review today.” On the latter, Arteta said: “We didn’t do any training yesterday. He was a bit emotional after the game. Let’s see how he is today.”

Arteta - who spent one season on loan at PSG from Barcelona in 2001/2 - was also asked on the impact returning defender Jurrien Timber and Italy sensation Calafiori have made on the team.

Netherlands international Timber missed the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign after sustaining an ACL injury in his first match for the Gunners but Arteta has said both he and the 22-year-old former Bologna star have “the football brain, the intelligence, the courage, the quality and adaptability to occupy different spaces attacking and defending.

“That gives the team a different dynamic and makes us unpredictable for the opponent to defender. And they’re both huge personalities which I love.”

After their dramatic 4-2 win over Leicester City on Saturday, the Gunners are back in action at the Emirates tomorrow night (Tuesday 1 October) as they face PSG at 8pm.