It is completely regular to see a preseason match whereby the long list of substitutes always gets an opportunity to play. The whole point of preseason is to provide opportunity and developmental experience for players both senior and from the youth side.
Arsenal however only took Reuell Walters and Arthur Okonkwo from the youth side, with Okonkwo effectively being Arsenal's third-choice keeper last season. It appears Mikel Arteta has favoured allowing senior surplus players minutes perhaps as an exercise of using preseason as a shop window.
The likes of Nicolas Pepe, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Hector Bellerin, Pablo Mari, Bernd Leno, Reiss Nelson, Nuno Tavares and Lucas Torreira could all move on permanently or on loan. The latter looked almost certain having agreed a buy option with Fiorentina in his previous loan move.
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However, Torreira found himself back with the club and on the preseason tour. His agent even spoke publicly to claim an agreement with Valencia had been reached with Torreira the day Arsenal few to the States.
“We have a pre-agreement with Gattuso for Torreira to play in Valencia,” Bentancur told Uruguayan radio station Sport 890 via the Evening Standard. “Today there is an important meeting on this issue.
“Arsenal coach Arteta wants to have him in the pre-season. He had great numbers with Arsenal, but we have a pre-agreement with Valencia.”
Edu the club’s technical director has been trying to maximise the value of potential sales this summer after a string of club exits for little-to-no transfer fees. In some cases, players’ contracts were simply mutually terminated instead.
However, according to AS Valencia are prepared to wait on the decision of Arsenal for Torreira. Edu could perhaps be waiting in the hope that a sizeable offer comes in but toward the end of the transfer window, the Spanish side would have the upper hand.
Torreira has just a year left on his deal in north London and a January exit would only command a minimal fee. Valencia will know that in the final weeks of the summer, the Gunners might be willing to accept less in order to get their unwanted stars off the books.
Edu has already rejected an offer from Fulham for Bernd Leno in the hope of securing a bigger fee to help push the potential incoming side of the club’s business. Whilst admirable, the risk could be missing out on the sales entirely and losing more assets for nothing at the expiration of their contracts.
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