football.london reported earlier this month that players would return to pre-season training on July 15 after some worked with Arteta in an early training camp in Marbella. Players involved in Euro 2024 or Copa America have been permitted an extended break and will return later on.
Captain Martin Odegaard, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira were among the group of returning players. The Gunners fly to the United States for their pre-season tour on July 21 before returning to England.
The group of players in north London also contained four players facing uncertain futures at the club. Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson have all been linked with a potential exit this summer. The quartet could command as much as £125m if some reports are to be believed, while Transfermakt values the group at closer to £71m collectively.
Partey has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia after struggling with injuries and game time last season. The Ghanaian started just nine Premier League matches and missed around four months of action with hamstring and groin problems.
Smith Rowe has been the subject of two rejected bids from Crystal Palace and Fulham this week. The midfielder, like Partey, has struggled for game time under Arteta and could be sold if a considerable offer is made.
Striker Nketiah is in a similar boat having struggled for minutes for Arsenal. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have been preferred by Arteta at centre-forward and talk of a new striker being signed has led to uncertainty over his future.
Nelson, who signed a new contract in 2023, has also struggled for regular first-team minutes at Arsenal. He played just 24 times for the Gunners last term, starting only five in all competitions.
Pre-season is set to be an important one for all four of these players. The opportunity to impress Arteta could play a pivotal role in the decision-making over their futures.
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