Arsenal could be without eight players for their opening two games of pre-season after latest World Cup progressions
11:02, 12 Jul 2026Updated 11:12, 12 Jul 2026
Declan Rice will remain in North America after eliminating his Arsenal teammate Martin Odegaard from the World Cup
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Declan Rice will remain in North America after eliminating his Arsenal teammate Martin Odegaard from the World Cup(Image: Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
England’s win over Norway confirmed that Arsenal will have eight players reaching the semi-finals at this summer’s World Cup finals. The two games between Spain v France and England v Spain are due to take place on August 14 and 15.
Martin Odegaard’s side were eliminated, meaning that the Arsenal captain will now begin his three-week summer break. Players are given a minimum of 21 days off officially unless this is waived; however, players are encouraged to ensure they take the full period for recovery.
This would place Odegaard as making a return around the week commencing August 3. This would see the midfielder miss the first pre-season friendly on August 1 in Girona, but he could yet return to face Real Betis in Dublin on August 5 if deemed fit enough.
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Otherwise, the next game is on August 9 in the Emirates Cup against Borussia Dortmund in North London. For the semi-finalists, however, of whom there are eight, both of these matches, certainly the clashes with Girona and Real Betis, look highly unlikely to be played.
David Raya, Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Declan Rice are all due to take part in the games next week. If any are eliminated, their expected return date would not be until after the clash in Dublin.
Rice, in particular, Saka and Saliba, too, have been suffering with fitness-related concerns. Rice was even said to be suffering from illness, but Thomas Tuchel said after the win over Norway that his substitution was more tactical.
"It was neither [illness or injury],” he told BBC Sport. “We wanted a more offensive change. We knew Declan would not last 90 minutes, nor 120 minutes, so we took him off."
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With the Premier League kicking off on August 21, the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16, it seems increasingly plausible that Mikel Arteta could be missing several of his biggest stars.
This might therefore increase pressure on the sporting director to accelerate the deals for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, who could replace Rice in the eight role. Whereas Zubimendi and Raya’s lack of minutes at the tournament might instead offer some respite to Arteta for the start of the campaign.