Mikel Arteta appears to have suggested the unprecedented scheduling of this season's Premier League has played a part in the way Arsenal go about their transfer dealings this summer.
The World Cup will take place in Qatar from mid-November until just before Christmas and, as a result, will cause a suspension of the Premier League. Plenty of Arsenal's key players, including their ever-growing Brazilian contingent, will be away on international duty for the tournament.
As will the bulk of the Gunners' English core, with the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, Benjamin White and Bukayo Saka all expected to make the squad, while Emile Smith Rowe could still make the plane if he can impress during the first half of the season.
In Saka's case, it has felt at times as if the wide-forward has carried the fortunes of Arsenal on his back alone at times over the last few years. He featured in all 38 of the Gunners' Premier League games last season and did so on the back of a fairly traumatic Euro 2020 campaign for the Three Lions and himself personally.
It has been a long time since Saka has had a proper rest and the prospect of him having to operate as a starter for club and country this season has sparked fears of a potential burnout.
As a result, the Gunners have made a signing new right-winger their priority before the window closes next week in a bid to ease the workload Saka could find on his plate over the course of the campaign. Arteta appeared to imply as much during his pre-match press conference ahead of the league clash at home to Fulham on Saturday.
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"It’s a completely unprecedented season, not only because we are going to be playing a lot of weeks with two or three games, but especially because we have the World Cup coming up," the Spaniard explained.
"We don’t know how that’s going to affect us, so we have to look at the overall picture. The preparation and the organisation is being done in regards to that."
According to a plethora of reports, the 'organisation' Arteta mentions is more than likely in reference to the club's lengthy pursuit of Wolves winger Pedro Neto. The Gunners have, up till now, managed to keep the fact the 22-year-old is one of their main targets under wraps for some time.
Whether they can actually reach an agreement to pry the Portugal international away from Molineux remains to be seen over the coming days, but he is certainly not going to come on the cheap - Neto penned a five-year contract extension with Wolves earlier this year.
Providing sufficient cover for Saka during a season he is expected to be worked tirelessly could come at quite the cost.
