A look at how Mikel Arteta could line his Arsenal side up for the pre-season fixture against Girona on August 1
15:25, 10 Jul 2026Updated 15:31, 10 Jul 2026
Arsenal duo Ethan Nwaneri and Jurrien Timber
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Arsenal duo Ethan Nwaneri and Jurrien Timber will be hoping for a successful pre-season (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
In just over three weeks' time, Arsenal's pre-season schedule will kick-off with a game against Spanish side Girona. For many members of Mikel Arteta's squad, it will be a chance to stake a claim to be in the starting line-up when the season officially starts on August 21 against Coventry City.
football.london understands the Gunners stars not competing at the World Cup or who exited the competition early will report for pre-season training on Monday, July 20. It's understood there are also plans for some players and coaching staff to travel to Marbella next week for an optional training camp.
At the start of the World Cup quarter-final stage, which started on Thursday with France's 2-0 win over Morocco, Arsenal still had 10 players representing their nations. William Saliba, David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard will likely not report for pre-season until the start of August at the earliest, due to players needing three weeks off once the season concludes.
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That could be a problem for Arteta as the Gunners' first friendly takes place against Girona in Spain on Saturday, August 1. The north Londoners will then travel to Dublin to take on Real Betis on August 5 before matches against Borussia Dortmund and Como 1907 at Emirates Stadium on August 9 and August 12, respectively.
A trip to Principality Stadium then awaits as Arsenal take on Man City in the Community Shield before the Premier League season starts with the visit of Coventry under a week later.
With so many players still likely to be on their holidays by the time that first pre-season friendly against Girona comes around, many fringe players will likely be involved. Kepa Arrizabalaga was not called up to the Spain squad for this summer's World Cup and could feature, as could new signing Illan Meslier, who recently signed a two-year contract with the Premier League champions with an option for a third.
The backline could be fairly strong, fitness permitting. Ben White and Jurrien Timber could start at full-back if the pair have overcome their injury niggles which kept them out of the back end of last season. Cristhian Mosquera and Riccardo Calafiori could be the makeshift centre-back duo with Gabriel and William Saliba not expected to be around.
Christian Norgaard barely featured for Arsenal in the Premier League last term but the experienced former Brentford midfielder could get a decent amount of minutes in pre-season, starting with Girona. The Dane has been linked with an exit from Emirates Stadium but, for now, he makes the team.
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri were not called up by Thomas Tuchel for the World Cup so should be fresh for the August 1 clash. Lewis-Skelly should get chances to shine in the Gunners midfield, as he did at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, while it is a big season for Nwaneri after his failed loan spell at Marseille.
Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson have both been linked with exits this summer but, should they remain at the club come the start of August, they could start on the wings for the Gunners against Girona. Kai Havertz should be back, too, following Germany's exit to Paraguay at the round of 32 stage at the end of June, so the German can lead the line. Viktor Gyokeres may also be around given Sweden's exit at the same stage, so Arteta could start one of the two against the La Liga side.
Potential Arsenal team to face Girona: Kepa; White, Mosquera, Calafiori, Timber; Norgaard, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri; Jesus, Nelson, Havertz
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