Five Arsenal decisions Arteta must make before Man City
Arsenal have two pre-season matches left before their first competitive test of the new campaign, leaving Mikel Arteta with several important decisions to make.
Borussia Dortmund visit the Emirates on Sunday before Como arrive three days later. The Arsenal decisions before Man City will then need to be largely settled when the Gunners travel to Cardiff for the Community Shield on 16 August.
Results will remain secondary over the next week. Finding the right combinations is becoming much more important.
🚨 @David_Ornstein: “Arsenal are trying to sign Vinicius Junior with everything they have, they’re all-in. There is optimism around Arsenal based on all the conversations they have had & the work they have undertaken. Mikel Arteta is really driving this, backed by the Kroenkes.”… pic.twitter.com/uvDrjwW5Qj
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) August 5, 2026
This is arguably Arteta’s biggest concern.
Saliba is facing an extended spell out after aggravating a back problem during the World Cup. Gabriel Magalhães has returned, but Arsenal must establish who partners him.
Cristhian Mosquera has received significant pre-season minutes and is the obvious internal candidate. Ben White and Jurriën Timber can also play centrally, although both have had fitness issues this summer.
Arsenal are consequently still looking externally. ReadArsenal reported on Wednesday that the Gunners are targeting another defender after agreeing their £75m Bruno Guimarães deal.
How quickly can Arteta reintegrate his World Cup players?
This may be the most difficult balancing act.
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Mikel Merino and David Raya are not due back until the week beginning 10 August.
That gives several important starters less than a week before Manchester City.
The Standard reported that Arsenal are considering carefully managing Rice and Saka after both dealt with physical issues during the World Cup.
Arteta needs them ready for competitive football without turning the Community Shield into an unnecessary fitness risk.
What is Arsenal’s strongest midfield?
Arsenal’s midfield could look dramatically different this season.
Guimarães is expected to arrive following a £75m agreement with Newcastle. Arteta already has Rice, Zubimendi, Ødegaard, Eze and Merino competing for central roles.
That provides enormous quality but also creates a selection problem.
Does Guimarães play alongside Rice? Can Zubimendi remain the deepest midfielder? Does Ødegaard continue as the guaranteed advanced midfielder?
Dortmund and Como may arrive too early to provide a definitive answer, but Arteta will soon need one.
Christos Tzolis has made an immediate impression.
The summer signing assisted against MK Dons before scoring in the 4-1 victory over Girona. Gabriel Martinelli has only recently returned after his World Cup break.
Tzolis therefore has a genuine opportunity to begin the season ahead of him.
Sky Sports highlighted both Tzolis and Max Dowman after their impressive performances against Girona.
Competition was exactly what Arsenal wanted when they signed Tzolis. Arteta now has to decide whether his form deserves an immediate reward.
Gyokeres or Havertz against Man City?
Viktor Gyökeres and Kai Havertz offer very different centre-forward options.
Havertz has already scored during pre-season and remains comfortable dropping into midfield to help Arsenal control possession.
Gyökeres gives Arteta greater pace in behind and a more natural penalty-box presence.
Manchester City will provide a serious tactical examination. Arteta must decide whether he wants Havertz’s combination play or Gyökeres’ threat against City’s defensive line.
There is still time for those decisions to change.
Dortmund and Como should provide the evidence Arteta needs before Arsenal’s preparation stops being about fitness and starts being about winning.
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