Arsenal welcome back several World Cup stars to pre-season training

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Just Arsenal News

·11 August 2026

Arsenal welcome back several World Cup stars to pre-season training

Arsenal have welcomed back their final group of players to resume pre-season training, with William Saliba the only player still resting, as the Gunners step up their preparations for the season ahead.

Mikel Arteta’s side recently suffered defeat in their latest pre-season fixture, but there is little reason for concern because most of their regular players did not feature. Those who did play were also given limited minutes, meaning the result provides an incomplete picture of the team’s preparations.

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The contingent who reached the semi-finals of the World Cup had been given extended breaks, meaning they had not yet resumed their preparations for the new season. Their absence would have had an impact on the team, particularly during the latest pre-season fixture.

Arsenal prepare for new season

The Gunners remain the team to beat in England and will be looking to begin their domestic campaign strongly by winning the Community Shield. However, the competitions Arsenal’s fans will want them to win most are the Champions League and the Premier League.

Arsenal won their league crown last term and reached the final of the Champions League. Their supporters will therefore expect them to improve on those performances in both competitions when the new term begins.

Ahead of the new campaign, the club announced via its X channel that Mikel Merino, Martin Zubimendi, David Raya, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Jurrien Timber have all returned to training.

Timber returns to training

Timber had been sent back to London to recover from an injury that had troubled him for months. He is now fit to train alongside the rest of the squad, providing a boost as Arsenal continue their preparations for the new season.

His return means Arsenal can now work with another member of the squad during pre-season, while the club will hope that Timber has finally put his injury problems behind him and can continue his preparations without further setbacks.

With most of the players who had been given extended breaks now back in training, Arteta can focus on preparing his squad for the challenges ahead. Arsenal will hope their pre-season preparations help them begin the new campaign strongly and compete for the major honours their supporters expect.

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