Arsenal have embarked on their pre-season tour of the US, where they will face Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Liverpool. However, they will be without several key first-team players. Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu are both sidelined with injuries and will remain in London for rehabilitation. Additionally, England quartet Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, and David Raya will not be joining the tour after their participation in the Euro 2020 final.
Despite the absences, Arsenal’s squad still boasts some notable names. Captain Martin Odegaard, along with new signings Ben White, Gabriel Jesus, and Jurrien Timber, are all part of the traveling group. Odegaard’s inclusion is particularly significant as it suggests that Arsenal are keen to secure his permanent transfer from Real Madrid following his successful loan spell last season.
The Gunners have also given opportunities to a number of young players to impress during the tour. Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz will join the squad later in July after being given extra rest due to their involvement in the Copa America and Euro 2024. Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Fabio Vieira, and Reiss Nelson were pictured with the team before departure, indicating that they will be looking to make an impact in the upcoming matches.
In terms of goalkeeping, Karl Hein is the most senior goalkeeper in the squad. He is joined by new arrivals Tommy Setford and Lucas Nygaard, as well as youngster Alexei Rojas. This suggests that Arsenal may still be on the lookout for a more experienced goalkeeper, as they have reportedly made a bid for Wolves’ Dan Bentley.
The Gunners’ first game of the tour is against Bournemouth at LA Galaxy’s Dignity Health Sports Park. They will then face Manchester United at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles before concluding the tour with a match against Liverpool in Philadelphia. On their return to England, Arsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon in further pre-season fixtures.
Overall, Arsenal’s pre-season tour provides an opportunity for both established players and young talents to showcase their abilities and stake their claim for a place in the starting lineup for the upcoming season. With some key players missing, it will be interesting to see how the squad performs and whether any further signings or departures will be made before the start of the new campaign.