Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice Arsenal return dates give Mikel Arteta big Premier League boost
Arsenal Players’ Return Timeline and Pre-Season Plans
According to football.london, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Aaron Ramsdale, and David Raya are expected to return to Arsenal roughly three weeks after the conclusion of the European Championship final. Despite only Saka and Rice featuring in England’s 2-1 defeat to Spain, all four players have been granted a break following the season.
**Expected Return Date**
The anticipated return date for these players is around August 5. Unless they choose to cut their holidays short, they will miss Arsenal’s tour of the United States. The team leaves for Los Angeles on July 21 to face Bournemouth and Manchester United before heading to Pennsylvania to play Liverpool, and then returning at the start of August.
**Upcoming Matches**
Arsenal has a match against Bayer Leverkusen scheduled for August 7 at the Emirates Stadium, which may be too soon for Saka, Rice, Ramsdale, and Raya to participate. However, the club hopes to have them available for the Emirates Cup match against Lyon on August 11.
**Earlier Returns**
Players such as William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, Kieran Tierney, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard, who exited their international tournaments earlier, are expected to return sooner. Some may join part of the US tour. Additionally, Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber, Benjamin White, Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Fabio Vieira, and Emile Smith Rowe have been training in Marbella and will return with the others before the flight to America on Sunday.
**Under-21s and Squad Considerations**
Arsenal’s Under-21s have already commenced their summer friendlies, with Charlie Patino and Ethan Nwaneri featuring in a 4-2 victory over Boreham Wood. Several players from this squad are aiming to join the main team for the summer tour.
**Player Monitoring**
Given their extensive playing time for both club and country, Saka and Rice will be closely monitored to ensure they receive adequate recovery. Arsenal is also planning to strengthen their squad by adding forwards and central midfielders to provide competition and cover.
**Historical Context**
In 2021, following England’s Euro 2020 final on July 11, Saka returned for Arsenal’s final pre-season friendly against Tottenham 28 days later and was available for the first game of the 2021/22 season on August 13.
**Season Opener**
The new season kicks off on August 17 with a home match against Wolves. Arsenal aims to have their key players back in time but is prepared to manage without them if necessary to ensure they have adequate recovery time.
