Arsenal football club don set for action as dem prepare to face Girona for dem first official pre-season match. This one na big chance for supporters all over the world to see how di team dey take shape for di upcoming 2026/27 season. Di match go be di first time Arteta go parade im main squad for public.
Before this one, Arsenal don play behind closed doors against MK Dons on Saturday and dem win. But for dis Girona match, everybody go see di team with dia own eyes. According to reports, Mikel Arteta go hand out debut to some players as e dey try to blend di new signings with di old heads.
Some key players still dey on holiday because dem reach far for World Cup with Spain and England. William Saliba no go play because e get back injury wey go sideline am for extended period. Martin Odegaard sef still dey comot from di tournament with Norway, so e no don join di squad yet.
But e get good news for Arsenal fans. Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Piero Hincapie don already start dia pre-season training. Havertz even train individually at Bayer Leverkusen facilities last week, so e fit come straight into di side for Girona. Dem get some catching up to do for fitness, but e fit still make impact.
Brazilian duo Gabriel and Gabriel Martinelli go join di squad but dem no go get plenty playing time because dem only just start limited training. Ben White sef fit feature for im first minutes since im knee injury wey end im last season early. Jurrien Timber no go ready yet as e just do minor surgery for groin issue.
Young talents like Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri go dey hope to impress. Cristhian Mosquera go get another chance to prove say e fit fill in for Saliba for centre-back. Christos Tzolis, wey sign for Arsenal after two weeks pre-season with Club Brugge, likely go start and e go sharp well well because e don already play friendly match.
With so many midfielders absent, Myles Lewis-Skelly go likely play di deeper role. Kai Havertz fit also be used for midfield before e return to im natural position. Riccardo Calafiori don get plenty rest after Italy no qualify for World Cup, so e go dey fresh. Kepa Arrizabalaga still dey with di group despite links to exit, and e get competition from new signing Illan Meslier.
Arsenal predicted line-up for dis one na Kepa; White, Mosquera, Hincapie, Calafiori; Lewis-Skelly, Havertz, Nwaneri; Dowman, Gyokeres, Tzolis. Di match against Girona go be first chance for fans to see how Arteta dey plan for di season. E go be interesting to see how di new boys go fit for di team as dem prepare to defend di Premier League crown.
