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Arsenal pre-season## Mikel Arteta is welcoming back the Arsenal squad today as pre-season plans get underway ahead of the new campaign
14:03, 20 Jul 2026
Arsenal’s players return for pre-season today, football.london understands. Mikel Arteta will be welcoming back plenty of the squad who were not involved in the summer’s World Cup.
He had already been joined by some of the squad last week in a pre-pre-season training camp in Marbella. Something which has become a regular occurrence, and Ben White was spotted enjoying the delights of the Spanish south coast.
Arsenal had 15 players involved at the World Cup, but there were many now expected to return. Italy’s failure to qualify means Riccardo Calafiori will come back as he continues to aim for better availability, having been unable to feature in the UEFA Champions League final.
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Jurrien Timber, like White, has been recovering from an injury that prevented his inclusion at the World Cup. Early inclusion in pre-season would be a real boost, although until Arteta faces the press for the first time following the match with Girona, we will not know his overall status.
Cristhian Mosquera was not called up to the Spain squad, missing out agonisingly on a medal which Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino and David Raya all claimed. Myles Lewis-Skelly was another, perhaps unfortunate, to miss out on a call-up too; he’ll be working on his new midfield role with Arteta this summer.
Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and new signing Illan Meslier will also be present. While the expected arrival of Christos Tzolis is yet to be announced, after passing a medical, he too will join the group.
Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, Marli Salmon and Max Dowman will all be expected to rejoin the group after their summer holidays. Plus, some players who are expected to leave this summer who have yet to sort out their futures will be with the group: Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira.
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football.london broke that Arsenal are expected to play a behind-closed-doors friendly before they fly back out to Spain to play Girona on August 1. Then comes games against Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como.
Arsenal face Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 16 and then kick-off their Premier League campaign on August 21.
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Arsenal pre-season
Mikel Arteta
Ben White
Jurrien Timber