Half a dozen Arsenal players have begun their pre-season with manager
Mikel Arteta three weeks early in a bid to boost their title challenge.
Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Jurrien Timber, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe,
and Fabio Vieira joined Arteta in Marbella on Monday to work on their fitness and form.
For Timber and Vieira, the mini-camp will offer a chance to build fitness after an injury-plagued 2023-24 season,
particularly for Timber, who suffered a major knee injury on his Premier League debut in August.
Timber’s versatility in defense was missed by Arteta last season,
and the Dutch international will be out to carve a role for himself in the Arsenal XI.
The left-back berth, which was a problem for the Gunners last season,
is there to be claimed in the weeks ahead even as sporting director Edu,
who will also fly out to Marbella for the camp, scours the transfer market.
Meanwhile, the Hale End triumvirate of Nelson, Smith Rowe,
and Nketiah have begun their preparations for 2024-25 at a time when their futures are in doubt.
All three have been linked with moves away from the club in recent weeks.
Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, the Arsenal expert journalist Charles Watts explained
that Smith Rowe has interest from clubs in England, Germany, and Italy, but that talks are ongoing to work out his future.
Fulham has been named as a specific possible destination for Smith Rowe,
and Watts says he could see that being a good fit for him, though nothing has been decided just yet.
The England international has shone for Arsenal when he’s managed to get playing time,
but he’s had fewer and fewer chances over the last couple of years,
so it makes sense that he’s considering his future this summer.
Emile Smith Rowe has been reduced to a bit-part role under Mikel Arteta, but it seems he is determined to stay and fight for his place at Arsenal.
The 23-year-old made just three starts last season as the Gunners once again fell short in the Premier League title race.
It has been rumored that Smith Rowe could leave Arsenal this summer in search of regular playing time elsewhere.
The likes of Fulham and West Ham have been linked with his services and would be able to offer him a more prominent role in their squads.
There are surely clubs out there who could give Smith Rowe more opportunities to start games regularly,
so it will be interesting to see the outcome of the ongoing discussions over his future,
and surely Arteta and Edu will be having face-to-face discussions with Smith Rowe, Nelson,
and Nketiah about their immediate futures. It could be an interesting summer for all three, one way or another….