Arsenal are set to play their first official fixture of pre-season on Saturday with Andrea Berta continuing his hard work behind the scenes
Arsenal Sporting Director Andrea Berta
Andrea Berta has been busy behind the scenes at Arsenal(Image: Stuart MacFarlane, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal's Premier League title defence will officially get underway in less than three weeks' time. The Gunners welcome Coventry City and Frank Lampard to Emirates Stadium on Friday, August 21 and Mikel Arteta will hope his side are firing on all cylinders by the time the fixture comes around.
The north Londoners will officially kick-off their pre-season campaign on Saturday (August 1) in Girona, before facing Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como. The Community Shield against Manchester City in Cardiff on Sunday, August 16 will be the last opportunity Arteta gets to look at his team before the Coventry clash five days later.
One player who could make his debut for the club in the upcoming friendlies is Illan Meslier. Arsenal signed the goalkeeper on a free transfer from Leeds United on a two-year deal with the option to extend for a further year.
The signing means Arsenal currently have David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Meslier and Tommy Setford as goalkeeper options going into the new season. There have been reports, however, that Kepa could look to leave after spending just one year with the Gunners. The Spaniard joined the club from Chelsea for £5million last summer but may look to move as he searches for regular minutes.
If Kepa does depart, that would mean Raya would be the number one, with Meslier his understudy and Setford the third choice goalkeeper. It would also represent something of a transfer masterclass by Andrea Berta, given the club would have replaced Kepa (valued at around £5million) with Meslier, who they signed on a free.
Meslier promises to be a decent No.2 at the club, as well, with the 26-year-old making 215 appearances for Leeds over seven seasons, keeping 70 clean sheets. The Gunners' new No.30 can't wait to get going and insists he wants to prove Arsenal were right to sign him.
“I’m extremely, extremely happy,” he said. “It's a great day for me because I’ve just joined the champions. It's the biggest club here in England, so I'm very happy to join this massive club, and it’s also a massive opportunity for me. I'm extremely happy to join and to try to do the back-to-back.
"When I came to Leeds, I didn't speak English at all. I didn't really know the league. But seven years later, I speak English now and I know the Prem. Last season was a special year, strangely enough for me. Unfortunately, this happens a lot in the careers of players. But I never give up. I keep working very hard every day, training, always being ready for the players who need help.
"I worked a lot mentally because I had a different perspective on football and training. It helped me a lot, to be honest. So I come back this year with a lot of anger and determination. I want to give everything and show my level is still high and that Arsenal did a great job to take me.”