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Mikel Arteta named his 27-man squad for Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the US as he prepares his side for the upcoming Premier League season.
They will take on a side of MLS All-Stars managed by Wayne Rooney who will be taking a break from his role as manager of DC United for the clash.
Arteta’s side departed from Stansted on Sunday afternoon with several first-team stars absent from the trip.
The most notable is Thomas Partey who has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks and has reportedly agreed terms with a club in the middle east, a move that could pave the way for Romeo Lavia.
Emile Smith-Rowe is also staying behind following his successful tournament with England under-21s and will likely have a small break before returning to training with Arteta’s side.
In addition, absentees from the squad include Nicolas Pepe, Cedric, and Albert Sambi Lokongo. All three players were loaned out from the Gunners last season and it’s likely they’ll be on the move again this summer.
Pepe has been linked with a return to Nice following his impressive performances in Ligue 1. Meanwhile, Cedric and Sambi Lokongo are also staying behind and are likely to leave once again.
Reiss Nelson and Nuno Taveres have also stayed behind with the reasoning seemingly unclear.
What does this mean for the coming season?
Aside from Emith-Rowe, all the players left behind have all been away from the club in some capacity over the last 12 months with Arteta deeming them surplus to requirements already.
With the recent recruitment drive, players will need to move on the ensure the club does not exceed FFP and essentially keep a balance.
Chelsea have already shown the issues a bloated squad can cause so ensuring Arteta streamlines the team and Edu moves those fringe players on will work in their favour.
