Mikel Arteta
Arsenal take on Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday afternoon, and Mikel Arteta's team selection for this 2026/27 season curtain-raiser could reveal a lot about the future of several players at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners have endured a difficult pre-season so far, winning just one of their four friendlies. Arteta's side have looked understandably dysfunctional, with the Spaniard rolling out an awkward mismatch of players in all four matches, as several integral stars returned to training late following their World Cup endeavours.
That said, the divisive tactician will have a full assortment of players to select from on Sunday when his team take on Manchester City at the Millennium Stadium.
Barring the injured William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, everyone in Arteta's squad is expected to be fit, including the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, all of whom missed Wednesday's game against Como.
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Mikel Arteta will need to leave senior players out of Community Shield squad
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Arteta named a 26-man squad for Arsenal's latest friendly against Como at the Emirates this week. The manager called upon almost everyone in his squad, making 13 changes throughout the match as he looked to provide all his stars with an opportunity to build their fitness.
However, he'll need to cut this 26-player roster down to 20 for the trip to Wales on Sunday. While the Community Shield permits six in-game substitutions — one more than in Premier League matches — only nine can be named on the bench.
With Zubimendi, Rice and Saka likely coming in, Arteta will need to inform nine players who were involved against Como that they won't even travel to Cardiff.
While a handful of youngsters will drop out, the senior players who don't make the cut will surely feel as though the decision is a hint from Arteta regarding their respective futures.
Goalkeepers Illan Meslier and Tommy Setford won't make the squad, with David Raya and Kepa Arrizabagalga ahead of them. Youngsters Theo Julieene, Marli Salmon and Josh Ogunnaike are also likely to be casualties of this shrinking squad size.
Aside from these players, there are few obvious options to cut. Max Dowman has made himself a staple figure in Arsenal's squad and may need to start due to the lack of training time since returning for alternative right-wingers Saka and Noni Madueke.
This leaves Arteta with some tough decisions.
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Arteta needs to be thinking about the upcoming season with his squad selection on Sunday, and this means he may need to leave some senior stars whose futures are uncertain at home.
There are four players who have been heavily linked with an exit who could find themselves watching the clash between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners from their sofa, and this will surely be a sign that their time in North London is close to ending.
Fabio Vieira's agent has been working overtime to secure him a move away from Arsenal, and the forgotten man almost certainly won't be on the team bus to Wales.
Gabriel Jesus is another who could miss out, as Napoli continue to monitor the Brazilian's situation.
After these two, the decisions get more difficult for Arteta. Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, both of whom started against Como, could find themselves axed from the travelling squad.
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Arsenal's Likely Squad for Community Shield vs Man City
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Galatasaray have made an offer for Martinelli, although the Brazilian is understood to want to stay at Arsenal. An exclusion from the 20-man travelling party on Sunday won't be good for the optics around his future.
Nwaneri has been linked with several Bundesliga clubs, and his potential exclusion could prove to be the catalyst for him to push for an exit.