Arsenal will begin their 2026/27 Premier League title defense with a pre-season friendly against Girona on Saturday, August 1, at Estadi Montilivi in Catalonia.
The match is scheduled for 7pm BST and offers fans their first chance to see the team this summer, following a behind-closed-doors win over MK Dons.
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Several key players who took part in the World Cup are still on holiday, while defender William Saliba is out for an extended period due to a back injury.
New signings and returning players
Mikel Arteta's squad has been strengthened by the arrivals of Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, and Piero Hincapie, who have joined pre-season training after the World Cup.
Havertz was training individually at Bayer Leverkusen's facilities last week and could go straight into the starting lineup against Girona.
Ben White is nearing a return from a knee injury that cut short his previous season, but Jurrien Timber needs more time to recover after minor groin surgery.
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White could feature for his first minutes since that injury, according to reports.
Young talents like Max Dowman, Ethan Nwaneri, and Cristhian Mosquera are expected to get opportunities, with Mosquera potentially covering for Saliba at center-back.
Ife Ibrahim, an 18-year-old midfielder who signed his first professional contract last season and made his senior debut in the Champions League, could also see game time.
Arsenal's likely lineup includes Kepa in goal; a defense of Mosquera, Salmon, Calafiori, and Hincapie; midfielders Lewis-Skelly and Norgaard; and attackers Dowman, Nwaneri, Tzolis, and Jesus.
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Girona, meanwhile, have welcomed back Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi from World Cup duty, and he could feature alongside Donny van de Beek in midfield.
