As expected, Arsenal have included a host of academy players in the squad that flies to Los Angeles for the first leg of the USA tour.
Teenage goalkeepers Alexei Rojas, Lucas Nygaard and Tommy Setford, will provide backup to Karl Hein, while Michael Rosiak, Omar Rekik, Ayden Heaven, Josh Nicols, Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand and Jimi Gower also earn call-ups.
More recognisable names, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Charles Sagoe Jr and Ethan Nwaneri, are also handed the chance to impress Mikel Arteta while he waits for established stars to return from holiday following the conclusion of the European Championships and Copa America.
It’s a marked contrast to last summer when only one teenager, Amario Cozier-Duberry, made the trip.
A core of senior players, including captain Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Jurrien Timber, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe have been training with the manager for several weeks.
It’s hoped they will set the tone for the youngsters and returning senior players some of whom (Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes) will be integrated into the tour next week.
Kieran Tierney’s hamstring issue and a knee problem for Takehiro Tomiyasu (worrying!) mean they miss the trip.
USA ready 🇺🇸
Here's the travelling squad for our 2024 tour stateside ✈️
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 21, 2024
Arsenal will make use of the Los Angeles Rams’ training facilities in California while they prepare for matches against Bournemouth (25 July) and Manchester United (28 July).*
The former is set to be a comparatively low-key affair featuring several youngsters at Dignity Health Sports Park before the razzmatazz of SoFi Stadium hosts the showdown with the Red Devils. Tickets are still available for both games.
Arsenal will then hop on a plane to take on Liverpool on 1 August at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia before returning to London the following day.
Two further fixtures against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon, both at Emirates Stadium, are also scheduled as the new campaign comes into view.
Yesterday, a mix-and-match squad beat Leyton Orient 2-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at London Colney. Eddie Nketiah teed up Gabriel Jesus for the opener and Emile Smith Rowe doubled the advantage after the break as the Gunners eased past their League Two opponents.
ESR 🔛🎯
📺 Watch the highlights from our behind-closed-doors friendly win over Leyton Orient today at the Sobha Realty Training Centre 👇
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 20, 2024
Arsenal squad for USA Tour 2024
Goalkeepers: Karl Hein, Tommy Setford, Lucas Nygaard, Alexei Rojas
Defenders: Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jurrien Timber, Josh Nichols, Jakub Kiwior, Ayden Heaven, Omar Rekik
Midfielders: Thomas Partey, Jorginho, Michal Rosiak, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Ethan Nwaneri, Salah–Eddine Oulad M’Hand, Jimi Gower
Forwards: Leandro Trossard, Reiss Nelson, Charles Sagoe Jr, Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah
__
*Match dates per UK calendar.
Trying to find somewhere the line-up against Leyton Orient – any hints?
(Should have tried the official site before posting the above, sorry)
I think names not mentioned from the academy says a lot.
Many of the youngsters making the trip are just there to fill temporary vacancies in the squad, hopefully they’ll have a good tour and enhance their value but in truth we pretty much know the 3 or 4 youngsters who have a realistic chance of making the Arsenal senior squad.
Nwaneri could be the successor to Smith Rowe’s first team squad role as early as this season. He’s that good. If we buy Eze or Olmo then he should go on loan to play real football against adults because again, he is that good. We are blessed to have such a talent coming through. This is that once every 10 years type of guy.
Really hope MLS and Nwaneri get some minutes this season, both looking like super exciting prospects
Finally, MLS is coming to America.
Such a shame Tomi’s issues. He is looking like another Kieran Tierney (plays with his heart, is decent, loved by all, but almost always injured).
We will be needing all hands on deck this year. Hope the injury gods are kind to us!
When he had that run at right back I honestly thought he was better than White. He never gave it away, covered so much ground and so strong in the tackle. We even saw good flashes of him going forward, I still wish he scored that RVPesque volley. Fingers crossed he can regain some of that and not be another Partey.
So no Patino, no Khayon Edwards, no Butler Oyedeji, no Monlouis. Definitely suggests they’re all on their way out.
Patino doesn’t have a future under Mikel and I was hoping we will give him a chance to proud himself out there in the States
Or that they are about to go on loan.
The last time this many teenagers landed in the USA they were clearing out Epstein’s Island.
Hope Heaven gets some minutes 🙏
That guy has to be destined to wear the number 7 shirt sometime in his career
HEAVEN 17 !
Oh, I dunno. I reckon “Heaven 17” shirts would sell well to a certain age group.
I think we should sell tomiyasu he’s been an injury prone can’t stay fit to play 30 odd games a season, he only manage that in his first season with us
Just based on his quality all along the back 4, I think it’s definitely worth keeping him.
Injury record is concerning but I don’t think he’s on the same level as KT when it comes to availablity (let alone versatility).
Pre-season academy sell-off strategy accelerates…
The issue/disappointment we have with Obi-Martin going to man utd over signing a new contract with us are:
1. They are a shambles
2. Their manager is weird
3. In recent years They’ve blooded less youngsters into the first team then we do.
4. They tend to buy big and buy in a panic more then we do.
So unless the money offered is way more, it’s a bit concerning he’s gone.
I suspect that the money on offer for Obi Martin from United is considerably more than Arsenal offered and if that assumption is correct then I’m glad Arsenal have cut him adrift. Paying a 16 year old considerably more than he’s actually worth would only create unsettling long term issues in the future with other players/agents etc.
The money for the agent was probably considerably more. Arsenal gave him a very very competitive offer. This had nothing to do with being cut adrift and everything to do with trying our best to keep him but being unable to primarily because of the advice he was receiving.
Not only the agent but possibly his family as well, we’ve seen this kind of thing before especially with Man Utd poaching young Arsenal players, the eldest Willock brother if I recall.