Arsenal have confirmed their 25-man squad for the pre-season tour of Singapore.
The Gunners will face Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint Germain in the International Champions Cup at the Singapore National Stadium on Thursday 26 July and Saturday 28 July respectively.
As expected, it’s a strong squad with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alex Iwobi and Mohamed Elneny returning from their post-World Cup holidays.
? TOUR SQUAD ANNOUNCEMENT ?
?? Full story ahead of the #AFCTour2018 ? https://t.co/dNBtsbOaeR pic.twitter.com/mRbGbM5g6L
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) July 20, 2018
Danny Welbeck, Nacho Monreal, Stephan Lichtsteiner, Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira will not make the trip as they are still on leave. Youngsters making the voyage include Emile Rowe Smith Rowe, Jordi Osei-Tutu, as well last season’s breakthrough trio Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah.
Fringe players left at home include The Jeff, Carl Jenkinson and Chuba Akpom; the latter is expected to seal a permanent move away from the club in the coming weeks.
The Gunners will also be launching their new third kit on the tour.
There’s been a lot of change at the club in the last three months so Petr Cech believes the tour will give the players and the coaching staff a chance to get to know each other better.
“I think when you are away on tour you get to know people in a slightly different way,” Cech told Arsenal Player.
“You see them every minute of the whole day for a whole week.
“Obviously, we’ll have time to work as well because usually on a tour like that, when you train, then you have some more time in the hotel where you can use it to hold individual meetings and discussions about certain things.
“I think the coaching staff have the chance to speak to certain people as well about the way pre-season has been going, what is expected, what they would like you to improve or not to do.
“All these things are beneficial for everyone, especially for the new players as well. When you have new players coming in, you get to know all the players and get a different perspective when you spend a whole week with them in a different environment.
“It’s easier than to carry on during the season.”
Full tour squad
Keepers
Petr Cech
Bernd Leno
Emiliano Martinez
Defenders
Hector Bellerin
Sead Kolasinac
Calum Chambers
Rob Holding
Shkodran Mustafi
Sokratis
Dinos Mavropanos
Jordi Osei-Tutu
Midfielders
Mohamed Elneny
Ainsley Maitland-Niles
Matteo Guendouzi
Reiss Nelson
Emile Smith Rowe
Joe Willock
Aaron Ramsey
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Mesut Ozil
Alex Iwobi
Strikers
Eddie Nketiah
Lucas Perez
Alex Lacazette
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Wait… where’s The Jeff?
Guendouzi took Jeff’s place in the squad traveling.
smith rowe more likely. but no way is willock ahead of him as a midfielder.
Looks like a loan move for Jeff? He can’t be playing bit-part roles now. A goal loan in France or even a newly promoted premiere league side
A good* loan rather…
Just hanging out at home with my locker. Sigh…
I’d say a loan moves lined up or he’d have been there. I’m not convinced he’s worth the hype but you never now
Most of our youngsters are not worth the hype tbh.
Yes, that’s the first thing I looked for, too. I thought he was excellent in the first preseason game, and he’s one of those players I think all Arsenal fans are invested in. Hopefully he’ll be allowed to stay and push for a place this season.
Think it’s totally harsh on The Jeff, considering he’s been doing well from what I could see so far.
Still hope he’s given a shot. Pretty irked Iwobi walks back in, but I understand why, I guess.
Iwobi-Wan get’s waaay too much stick from some fans. He broke into the first team as a 19 year old, in a system/chemistry that was perfect for his style of play, with the pacy Theo on the other flank and Giroud in the middle to link up play with (which is one of Alex’s best strengths). He’s still young, but at 22 a players preferred position should be pretty set. He’s barely played in, what I think is his best suited position, CAM. He would probably benefit from going on loan to a mid table club, like Palace. But to… Read more »
I’ve been one of Iwobi’s staunchest defenders, and still champion the idea that he should be a no.8.
But in truth I finally lost my faith with his performance with Nigeria. I just hoped his performance was Arsenal-related, but he was really poor for us at the World Cup and was one of the first to get dropped and our performance picked up straight after. Barely got any minutes after that.
Like I said, I understand why, but considering he hasn’t actually been part of the preseason, he’s really going there purely on seniority really.
iwobi is trash.
I was surprised he didn’t get a lot of playing time at the world cup in the middle. Didn’t they play Mikel there instead? This is a crucial season for Iwobi.
The new boss probably wants to take a good look at Iwobi, and Iwobi probably needs to buck up his ideas. I think Willock and Iwobi are the weakest in this squad, and I think Jeff is arguably better than either of them.
Yeah, pretty much my point.
Think it’s really harsh on the Jeff. Willock in particular going makes little sense to me tbh.
Maybe…just maybe Jeff isn’t going because Emery doesn’t need any further confirmation about how good he is…yes I’m reaching here, but I am genuinely upset that Jeff isn’t going.
Sorry but why dou you think you are able to judge Willocks potential? Taking into account the 53 minutes he played for the first team so far? Have you seen him in training? Do you know about his strengths and weaknesses? Do you know how professional he is? It’s straight up bullshit. I’m really tired of people acting as if they’re some kind of star scouts. You’re fans. That’s it. Everybody who’s working at Arsenal is better equipped to evaluate the quality of certain players than people in the comment sections of sport blogs. It’s the same with the Jeff.… Read more »
Just a moment to catch a thought for Koscielny and Lacazette, both of whom must be exponentially gutted at losing out, not only on a WC winners medal, but a Legion d’Honneur and the experience of lifetime victory celebration in Paris.
I can only hope it makes them stronger.
At the French television event where the French squad was announced by Deschamps, he answered questions and explained his reasoning on his choices, being respectful and praising those left out, as you would expect. But interestingly, at the very end of the show, after they had moved on to other subjects, he brought up Koscielny again to say his absence would be a great loss to the team on both the sporting and human levels. Pretty clearly an expression of genuine admiration and affection.
Koscielny more than Laca. Had it not been for the injury, he would have been there instead of Adil Rami, though i don’t think he would have been first choice ahead of Umtiti or Varane, based on the season we just had. With dembele, griezmann, giroud and mbappe, France had the luxury of leaving out laca and that sullen guy from Man U. They probably would have made any squad, barring France and Brazil
I wouldn’t doubt kos being one of dechemps first names on his team sheet.
He loves both him and Olli and plays them regardless of form.
There has also been a documentary this week on French TV which follows Les Bleus since they got together in May, and the very first meeting involved Deschamps giving them a letter from Koscielny which said ‘I believe in you, I know you can do this’. He asked them to reflect on the great opportunity they had. He was invited to the match and had photos with the cup. It must have been hard for him to be so close.
I think that this means it may be end of the road for Jeff. Also surprised that we are leaving Macey at home while taking Martinez. Maybe Martinez has done enough to convince Emery and that Leno, Cech, and him will be our first team goalkeepers when the season starts?
Interesting times.
Martinez is senior, in experience and age as well. What will be really interesting is who makes the squad of 25 for the competitions. All our goalkeepers who aspire to play for the first team are over-age. 3 out of 5 for the PL squad.
Maybe it’s time for Macey to go on loan? Heck he could have gone to Liverpool if they’d waited!
Might be looking too much into it, but Rambo’s picture is not on that squad announcement. He should have been once of the first players on there. Slightly worrying… Also gutted that Jeff missed out. I hope we send him on loan this season and he is in our long term plans.
Generally if there’s any uncertainty players are left off of promo materials, hopefully it doesn’t mean he’s off but it saves a pointless marketing tool if he is
Willock is in the squad and Jeff is not?
yeah go figure that one out!
Sad about Jeff, but hope it’s just a loan move away for him.
Where is Monreal though? We can’t afford to go into the season with one Sead who didn’t really shine last season, Naxto would be a big loss.
Was left out of the WC player watch every week & now left out of the tour with no mention.
“The greatest trick Nacho Monreal ever pulled was to convince the world he didn’t exist”
Monreal is probably still on vacation as Spain made it further than Ozil, Iwobi and ElNeny’s teams.
Would be the biggest surprise if we kept Perez this season
Reckon he should be kept for atleast a season, useful player to have in the squad
Yes and No.
He’s superior to Welbz and Eddie – no question. Is a tremendous finisher, good hold up play, good vision, and deceptively quick.
Just because Arsene never really warmed up to him or gave him much game time, and went to Welbz instead, does not mean he’s not a top player. I really hope he stays.
For those of you who said I was wrong for saying we’d likely sell The Jeff, and also gave my loads of thumbs down…..
Let me give you another reason to furiously click away on the thumbs down button
” I Told You So”
The pragmatic thing to do with a young player who won’t doesn’t want to sign a new deal and wants to elswhere to play? Is to sell him.
This isn’t a slight on the player or his ability, it’s just called logic, common sense or pragmatism.
Now click away you angry illogical mentalists
As my namesake would say… SAD!
What if we think that the Jeff has a lot of potential and we would rather keep him and give him a shot at making it at Arsenal and not sell him to another club where he might go on being really good and we have egg on our faces for selling him?
Like a certain Serge Gnabry?
Reid’s Nelson hasn’t signed a new deal either and he’s on the trip. Blows that logic.
Dude, who pissed in your Wheaties this morning?
Have a thumbs down, you seem to like them.
Well if he doesn’t want to sign then that is completely different, but I thought it was Reiss who hadn’t signed yet?
No mention of Ospina anywhere, promising? Or injured.
Ospina only get some injured during game time
Still holidaying I would imagine.
Not back yet from the World Cup.
Revolutionary machine milks goat every 2.5 seconds.
Good squad mix.
I’m guessing Ospina is off?
No mention of Ospina. but possibly looking for a move away. the Jeff and Jenks also looks like bad news – a loan or permanent move away. also lots of noise around Welbz being on the way out.
Ramsey needs to sign da ting or bugger off!
Sad to say but would not be surprised if Ramsey leaves. Jack going was never in doubt, but my gut thought Ramsey might stay, but how long does it take to sign your name on the dotted line?
I thought the Jeff was making strides this off-season, maybe not.
No mention on here of Carl Jenkinson? Is he injured? Otherwise very strange he doesn’t make the squad, and goes to show just how far down the pecking order he has fallen.
Too many average players at arsenal, large squad, low quality, rivals who finished way above use are buying world class players, we are busy going for craps, just look at Liverpool breaking transfer record on a goalkeeper, all we get is error prone leno, arsenal fans should put more pressure with banners on useless stan, and the board, just as they did in getting arsene sacked, for proper investment, can’t imagine, clubs like Brighton who just came to pl buying players for over 20+ million pounds yet arsenal fans are busy talking about jeff, wake up
Don’t be stupid.
You’re comparing us with clubs in the Champions League. We finished 6th, we’re not in a position to attract those WC-CL players anymore.
Accept it.
I’m sorry to burst your bubble mate. Man Utd attracted Pogba even while they were outside the champions league. The truth is we can attract any player if we really want to or better still if Stan wants to.
Talking about Jeff doesn’t stop us from breaking transfer records. Since we can no longer talk about Jack, let’s talk about Jeff. He’s loved around here you know.
+1
The interest in the youngsters is understandable. Arsenal FC is about youth development. But the outright over-hyping of many mediocre prospects is getting very annoying!
No mention of Joel Campbell?
Hope The Jeff’s exclusion means he’s rather going on loan than being sold, I love the kid. Plus there’s no way Willock is ahead of him in terms of talent and ability.
Also losing Ramsey would hurt much less for me personally than Wilshere leaving. He must just sign da ting or go somewhere where he might actually play behind the main striker and be happier…
Heres hoping that maybe Emery has made his mind up on Jeff…He got to look at him close up in the french league last year.
Love seeing the name of Luca Perez on our team list again. COYG!!!
Nacho Gone?
Iwobi? Really? The most overrated ‘young and promising’ player in Arsenal history. Loan him out to Ipswich or some other Bolton to teach him the work rate, team work, defending… He does nothing in defense, he does nothing in attack – what a waste of space he is.