After 46 days, Arsenal are back in action. Mikel Arteta's men will take on 2. Bundesliga side FC Nurnberg this evening in their first of five pre-season fixtures scheduled ahead of the 2023/24 season.
The Gunners have been training at the Adidas HQ in Germany since Monday with a number of players being put through their paces in a bid to impress Arteta and his coaching team. And while the main purpose of pre-season is to get minutes into the tank and test various tactical ideas in real-life scenarios, every player comes into the summer period with a point to prove.
Today's game will be the first opportunity to see £65million ($84.4million) signing Kai Havertz in action since his switch from Chelsea. It's likely the German will replace Granit Xhaka in Arteta's midfield, taking up a significantly deeper role than we have become used to seeing him in the last three years.
For the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Arteta's key players, coming up against Nurnberg is their first chance of building match fitness ahead of August's big kick-off against Nottingham Forest.
Yet, for some individuals, this evening's fixture is their first chance to catch Arteta’s eye. One player specifically who will be tracked with a watchful eye is striker Folarin Balogun. The USMNT star has been training with his teammates at London Colney and Adidas HQ in the last few days having scored 22 goals in Ligue 1 last season.
Balogun has been strongly linked with a permanent move away from the Gunners. football.london understands the club are open to selling him - with a £50million ($64.9million) price tag mooted - with RB Leipzig and AC Milan among the line of suitors considering their next move.
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However, despite the presence of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, many supporters have pleaded with Arteta to utilise Balogun next season. His performances for Stade Reims and the USMNT have placed him on a pedestal, with some suggesting he could be the missing piece to the jigsaw.
Last season, albeit with a long-term injury, question marks were raised against Gabriel Jesus' prolific nature in front of goal. The Brazilian scored 11 goals in all competitions but was often criticised for missed chances when the going got tough.
Since the summer transfer window opened, multiple strikers have been linked with moves to north London. Dusan Vlahovic has emerged back on Edu Gaspar's radar, with Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen linked with a move to the Premier League.
But the question simply remains: Why spend close to £75million ($97.4million) for a new striker when Balogun is one of your own?
The answer to that question currently remains unresolved. Pre-season will certainly provide some sort of clarity.
What we do know is that Arsenal are planning on taking Balogun to the United States next week. The 22-year-old was named in the Gunners' roster to take part in the MLS All-Stars Skills Challenge on July 18. Arteta is expected to use that time to make a decision on Balogun before giving the go-ahead on an exit.
The game with Nurnberg comes at the perfect time for Balogun. It's unclear how much time he will be given by Arteta. However, any minutes against the second division side offer him a golden opportunity to give him a chance of playing in the Premier League next season.
