Arsenal, the current Premier League champions, are preparing for a demanding season as they aim to defend their title. Their pre-season schedule officially kicks off on Saturday evening with a match against Girona, following a 3-0 friendly victory over MK Dons last weekend.
The challenge of retaining the English title is considerable; Manchester City is the only club to have done so since Manchester United's consecutive wins from 2007 to 2009. Arsenal last retained the crown nearly a century ago, highlighting the scale of the task facing manager Mikel Arteta.
Squad fitness is a significant concern for Arsenal. Several key players have accumulated extensive playing time, with Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhães each logging over 4,200 club minutes since the start of last season. Saliba's workload included 795 minutes for France before a back injury ended his World Cup prematurely, potentially sidelining him for some time. Rice has also managed nerve pain in a hamstring throughout 2026, adding to concerns about player fatigue.
Transfer activity has been modest for Arsenal so far, with more than half of their £79m spending going towards making Piero Hincapié's loan permanent. While Christos Tzolis has joined from Club Brugge, a move for reported target Vinícius Júnior could elevate the left side of Arsenal's attack, though his high wages may pose a challenge to the club's existing wage structure.