Arsenal have now completed all their preparations ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The Gunners played as many as seven pre-season friendlies - beating Ipswich Town, Nurnberg, Everton, Orlando City, Chelsea and Sevilla to lift the Florida and Emirates Cup in addition - launched the home, away and third kits and signed five new players before Friday night's Premier League opener against Crystal Palace.
But the final task for the Arsenal senior squad - aside from Mikel Arteta's pre-match press conference and the last training session - before the big game at Selhurst Park was to take part in an official media day. And that took place at London Colney on the first day of August.
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From the images released, there were a number of notable things spotted. As expected, all five summer signings in Gabriel Jesus, Marquinhos, Fabio Vieira, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Matt Turner took part, as did the newly-appointed captain Martin Odegaard as well as the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Rob Holding and Granit Xhaka.
Although, Bernd Leno and Lucas Torreira were among the key absentees. A reason for why they didn't take part in the Arsenal media day could be that a double transfer announcement is imminent with the former closing on a move to Fulham and the latter reportedly flying to Turkey to join Galatasaray.
Leno's expected departure, coupled with Arthur Okonkwo's loan move to Crewe Alexandra, is likely to be great news for Karl Hein as he can operate at the third-choice goalkeeper behind Ramsdale and Turner this season, and it would appear that Arsenal have quietly announced the Estonia international's first-team promotion.
As per the club's official website: "The men's first-team squad took part in a number of photo and video shoots for the official broadcasters, once again dusting off their best poses and smiles for the cameras, with our new signings getting into the swing of things in their new kits." And this description all but confirms Hein's promotion.
However, it should be the noted that the 20-year-old was involved in the 2021/22 first-team squad photocall alongside Leno, Ramsdale and Okonkwo, but there was no forthcoming announcement of a promotion.
Two players certainly part of the first-team picture at Arsenal are Gabriel Martinelli and Fabio Vieira. In fact, the Brazilian has effectively undertaken a new role this summer in helping the £30million signing from Porto settle into his new surroundings.
It was noticeable on both overseas tours to Germany and the USA that the pair have struck up a bromance and that continued during media day with the pair posing for a few pictures together and the hope is that this relationship translates on the pitch when the Portuguese midfielder is fully fit.
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