Arsenal is preparing for the phased return of several players who participated in the World Cup, with key decisions anticipated regarding the fitness of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. Many players are entitled to a minimum of three weeks off following their international commitments.
Declan Rice has been managing neural pain in his hamstring for over six months and was also affected by sickness during the World Cup. Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, played through an Achilles injury for much of the tournament. Both players will undergo assessments upon their return to London, and additional rest may be deemed necessary to restore them to full fitness for the upcoming season.
Initial Pre-Season Preparations
Manager Mikel Arteta and his staff have been working with players not involved in the World Cup. This group includes those who were on loan last season and have since returned, such as Ethan Nwaneri, Reiss Nelson, and Fabio Vieira. Cristhian Mosquera also rejoined for pre-season, aiming to secure a spot due to William Saliba’s injury.
Other players who have featured in training include Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Gabriel Jesus, and Ben White. White, who missed the end of last season with a knee injury, has made good progress in his rehabilitation and has trained with teammates in Marbella and at London Colney. Jurrien Timber has also returned to group training following minor groin surgery but has not yet made a full comeback.
Kai Havertz is expected to return in the coming days, having trained at his former club Bayer Leverkusen this week. Piero Hincapie and Viktor Gyokeres have completed their three weeks of holiday after the World Cup and are expected back next week. Brazilian players Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli are also scheduled to return early next week and are likely to join the squad traveling to Spain.
Upcoming Fixtures and Player Availability
Arsenal’s first official pre-season match is scheduled for August 1 against Girona. While some World Cup players will be back for this fixture, it will be too soon for others, including Martin Odegaard, whose Norway team reached the quarter-finals. David Raya and Martin Zubimendi, who saw limited action this summer, are expected to be ready for the season start. Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, and Mikel Merino had more playing time but still maintained a manageable workload.
The squad for the Girona match is expected to be somewhat depleted, with Arteta having limited options. Only 11 senior outfield players returned to training on Monday. The club recently announced the signing of Christos Tzolis, who could be involved in the match. Other potential participants include Kepa Arrizabalaga or new signing Illan Meslier in goal, with Meslier possibly getting his first outing. Marli Salmon, a 16-year-old, might be given an opportunity at centre-back alongside Cristhian Mosquera, allowing Ben White to play centrally.
The midfield will see significant absences, with Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, and Martin Odegaard all unavailable. Christian Norgaard may be called upon at the base of the midfield, potentially partnering Myles Lewis-Skelly, while Ethan Nwaneri is a candidate for the advanced midfield role. In the attack, Max Dowman is a likely option for the right wing, and Gabriel Jesus may feature.
Following the Girona match, Arsenal will travel to Dublin to play Real Betis two days later. They will then host Borussia Dortmund and Como. The Premier League opener, where Arsenal hosts Coventry, is scheduled for August 21.
Fitness Concerns and Return Dates
Eight Arsenal players were involved in the World Cup until the final weekend, which will result in a very limited pre-season for them. This leaves them with 11 days to build fitness before the Premier League opener. The club may also choose to give certain players additional rest due to the demanding previous season.
Martin Odegaard, whose Norway team was defeated on July 11, will be available to train again in the week commencing August 3. The first competitive fixture for Arsenal this summer is the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16.
Source: standard.co.uk
