In just over a week's time, Arsenal will be in action as they face Nurnberg in game number one of their summer's pre-season program.
Now, it's almost certain the Gunners team that Mikel Arteta selects will be very different from the one that strutted out at the Emirates Stadium against Wolves on the final day of the 2022/23 campaign with fit-again senior stars, returning loanees and youngsters providing a team selection dilemma.
This is because certain players will be at different stages with regard to their preparation come July 13. For example, Benjamin White, Rob Holding, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah, Leandro Trossard, Cedric Soares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Marquinhos could all start at the Max-Morlock-Stadion as they were all present on day one of pre-season training.
Meanwhile, summer signing Kai Havertz is expected to join up with his new teammates in 'early July' which could very well be at the same time the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Jorginho, Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney and Jakub Kiwior report back to London Colney after their international commitments over the summer.
But will they make the trip to Germany? If last summer is any indication then perhaps the answer is no and it could be that Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, if they seal moves to Arsenal within the next eight days, don't travel either as they represented England and the Netherlands respectively last month.
Should this be the scenario then it would allow Arteta to get creative with his starting line-up against Nurnberg and experiment with Trossard in an attacking midfield position, Jesus operating out wide and Cedric getting the nod at right-back as White partners Holding in central defence.
READ MORE: Arsenal pre-season timetable confirmed as William Saliba and stars return to London Colney
Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu were present alongside Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli on day two and are expected to take part in pre-season after recovering from injury. Although if neither player is ready to start in Germany then it could open the door for Lino Sousa at left-back.
The youngster was present for Monday's training session at London Colney along with the aforementioned senior players so he at least appears to be in Arteta's thought process and it could be that more academy players make the trip as potentially there could be a shortage of senior goalkeepers and central midfielders available.
Of course, as the week progresses and the more senior players filtering back it will become clearer as to who the Arsenal manager will have at his disposal for the Nurnberg game as William Saliba could be in contention to make his first start since March having returned to training.
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