Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard was one of ten first-team players back in training on Monday as pre-season began in north London.
Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Jurrien Timber, Karl Hein, Reiss Nelson, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey returned alongside Odegaard. The players were back in the gym, with lead physical performance coach Sam Wilson getting them going inside.
Head of sports science and performance Tom Allen also put the players through their paces out on the pitches in London Colney. Mikel Arteta was also outside with the players as they had the balls back on the grass.
The 11 players were back because they had no involvement in the Copa America or the European Championship this summer
Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, David Raya and Declan Rice will not return for another three weeks following their involvement in the Euros final on Sunday, which would mean they miss the pre-season tour of the United States should they come back around August 5.
Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli, Jakub Kiwior, Jorginho, Kai Havertz, Kieran Tierney, Leandro Trossard, Oleksandr Zinchenko and William Saliba are all expected to return earlier than that date after starting their summer at various stages of the last few weeks when their involvement at this summer’s tournaments ended.
Of the 11 that were back on Monday, Nelson, Nketiah, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Timber, Vieira and White all worked with Arteta during a pre-preseason summer training camp in Marbella. Sessions in Spain focused on building fitness before returning to London Colney and heading Stateside.
