Arsenal are hoping to make some major signings this summer, and the earliest that the likes of Morgan Rogers and Christos Tzolis, if they complete successful transfers, is assessed.
The World Cup might be taking the attention away somewhat for Arsenal supporters but the transfer window remains on keen intrigue with much planned this summer. Having become Premier League champions, sporting director Andrea Berta has plenty of power to try and further the club’s ambitions and squad’s quality.
Big investment is planned and there are several players who could be making their way to the Emirates sooner rather than later. Morgan Rogers, Bradley Barcola and Ayyoub Bouaddi have all been linked with moves to North London.
All taking part in the World Cup with their respective nations, players are allowed a minimum of three weeks off before returning for pre-season ahead of the new campaign. With the World Cup final on July 19, some players may not return until August 10, with the start of the league campaign just 11 days later.
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Arsenal are due to play Coventry City on the opening night of the new season as the champions of the Premier League take on their Championship equivalents. However, the Gunners will have some matches to play before the season starts.
After losing the UEFA Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain agonisingly on penalties, Arsenal will not be taking part in the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg on August 12. But four days later, their league title has earned them a place in the FA Community Shield.
They will take on Manchester City, the first time Mikel Arteta will get a look at his potential title rivals without former manager Pep Guardiola. Enzo Maresca is expected to take over, but talks between City and Chelsea remain ongoing over the potential compensation that would be owed.
Before that, however, Arsenal will take on Real Betis in a pre-season friendly in Dublin on August 5. This leaves an eleven-day gap between the only known pre-season friendly and the Community Shield clash in Cardiff.
There have been some hints that an Emirates Cup is due this summer, after tickets for the match were seen to be auctioned during a club function in February. Who the opponent is and the date, however, remain a mystery for now.
football.london also understands that discussions over plans for a friendly before the clash in Dublin remain ongoing. Spain has been suggested as a destination, but whether the game becomes a public-access affair or behind-closed-doors match is yet to be determined.
Depending on when players leave their World Cup responsibilities will determine whether they could be involved in any of these summer clashes. That includes Arsenal players of course already involved in the summer tournament.
Some players, such as Christos Tzolis, Eli Junior Kroupi and Ivan Fresneda, who have also been linked to North London but are not taking part in the World Cup, if signed soon, could be part of the returning players to the Sobha Realty Training Centre in July and available for the first pre-season friendly of the summer.
