Arsenal’s players will not likely return to pre-season training until July but plans are already in place for some stars to meet up earlier.
With the 2024/25 season now over, a number of players will feature in international fixtures over the next two weeks before going on holiday to enjoy some much-needed rest and recuperation. As it the modern way nowadays, though, any period of rest is likely to be short and Mikel Arteta even confirmed earlier this month that plans are in place for a pre-season before the official pre-season, if you like.
Last summer, several first team stars joined Arteta and his coaching staff in Marbella while the others competed at Euro 2024 or the Copa America. Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Jurrien Timber and Reiss Nelson all made the trip from the start, while Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus joined up a tad later.
Confirming a similar trip will again happen this summer, Arteta said: “Yeah, the players are demanding it. Nowadays I think it’s impossible to have four, five, six weeks on your sunbed, pouring sun cream and just ordering drinks. Six weeks later and go full gas, tour and play 65 games, I think it’s impossible. Now they demand themselves to be in the best possible condition.
“We are really lucky because we have boys there that they want to spend the summer with their families and with them, so they want to be together as well, so if they can pick a place that we can do that, we can facilitate that, more than welcome to do that.”
After the aforementioned break, Arsenal will travel to Singapore in July as part of the club’s official pre-season preparations. The Gunners will play two fixtures while in the country, with the first being against AC Milan on Wednesday, July 23. They will then play Newcastle United on Sunday, July 27, with both matches to be played in the 55,000-capacity National Stadium.
Arsenal will then fly to Hong Kong in China where they will play north London rivals Tottenham on Thursday, July 31. The fixture will be played in the recently opened 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium. Arsenal’s managing director, Richard Garlick, said: “Everyone at Arsenal is excited to be visiting Hong Kong in July. It’s great to be back with our men’s first team squad after 13 years, and gives us the opportunity to meet so many of our fantastic supporters in the region again.
“As well as training hard and playing the match, we cannot wait to connect with our Hong Kong supporters in this wonderful part of the world. Playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium will be a great experience for both teams and supporters, and will be a very important part of our pre-season preparations ahead of the new season.”
The squad will return to London after the match against Tottenham and continue preparations for the 2025/26 season in a more familiar environment. Additional pre-season fixtures are expected to be announced, with the club last summer playing two fixtures at Emirates Stadium after returning from the pre-season tour of the United States.
With the Premier League season starting on the weekend of August 16, it’s possible the Gunners pencil a fixture in a few days after arriving home from Hong Kong, and then another on the weekend of August 9/10. There’s currently no word on whether the Emirates Cup will return for 2025, although the 2024 Emirates Cup fixture against Olympique Lyonnais was not confirmed until late June last year.
Confirmed Arsenal pre-season fixtures so far
Arsenal vs AC Milan on Wednesday, July 23 at Singapore National Stadium (7:30pm local time, 12:30pm UK time)
Arsenal vs Newcastle United on Sunday, July 27 at Singapore National Stadium (7:30pm local time, 12:30pm UK time)
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, July 31 at Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong (7:30pm local time, 12:30pm UK time)
