Arteta on the mood in the camp, player reintegration and transfers

Mikel Arteta expects to have a full squad available for the start of the season and says those players still resting after their international exploits are “excited” to get back to work.

Arsenal landed in the USA on Sunday with a 26-man squad featuring 14 senior players and 12 from the academy. Of those missing, three players – Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz – will join up with their teammates in the coming days, five – William Saliba, David Raya, Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice – will remain on holiday until early August and two – Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu – are on the treatment table at London Colney.

25 days out from the first game of the season, it’s not ideal for the manager to have so many players missing, especially with transfer business – both incoming and outgoing – yet to be resolved.

All the same, Arteta says the mood in the camp is good and that plans to bring familiar faces back into the fold are well-advanced.

“It’s been very positive since day one,” he told journalists after the first training session in Los Angeles.

“We started at Marbella for two weeks and then we had a week off. When the players arrived back at the Sobha Realty Training Centre they were at it straight away.

“It’s not a surprise because they’re a joy of a team to work with – even today, straight away with jet lag and high temperatures, they train at the same intensity.”

Asked if those involved in the semi-finals and final of the European Championships were at risk of missing Wolves visit to the Emirates on 17 August, he continued:

“I do not think so. Let’s see what condition they come back in. All of the messages I have got from them, they are really excited to come back and have a great season again. I do not expect anything else.”

He added: “There is a very well-thought-out plan of integration, but we cannot expect them to go from sunbeds to training at 100 miles per hour.

“They need to be able to get up to speed. When they come back we will be working closely with them to follow the rhythm of the rest of the boys.

“When your mind is telling you to come back, then I think you need to follow your mind. They need some rest, they had a week as well before they started the Euros. We will manage them, but if they are willing that means that they want to, so let’s do it.”

As Arsenal gear up for a low-key friendly with Bournemouth, at home, Technical Director Edu is trying to get deals over the line for Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori and backup goalkeeper Dan Bentley. If rumours are to be believed, the likes of Emile Smith Rowe (Fulham & Crystal Palace), Eddie Nketiah (Marseille) and Reiss Nelson (West Ham) could also be on their way out.

Asked if there are any updates on those stories, Arteta said: “No unfortunately not, but we know there are certain positions that we want to improve and give the squad better resources, especially in terms of numbers where we are very short.

“We will try our best but the main thing is to focus on falling in love with the players we have and make them better.”