Arsenal

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Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice says having a month's break followed by a full pre-season will make a "massive" difference to the way he starts the new campaign.

Rice, along with several other Premier League players, had a quick turnaround from Euro 2024 and had just 16 days off to recover before returning to training.

He expects the much-needed downtime will boost his physical and mental performance.

"I'm putting really big demands on myself this year" said Rice. "I'm really trying to push myself because the back end of the season I finished really, really strong.

"At the start of the season last year, I was nowhere near the level I require of myself.

"I put it down to a few things. The back of the Euros final was mentally really tough.

"Having 16 days off and going straight back into a Premier League season was really, really hard. It took me a few months to get going again.

"But now I'm getting a full pre-season, I feel really fit, really strong and I'm going to try to kick off the new season really, really strong."

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Mikel Arteta has said that centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes missed the pre-season win over AC Milan with a "niggle" he picked up in training.

The 27-year-old underwent surgery and missed the final two months of the 2024-25 season with a hamstring injury and for that reason, Arteta does not want to take any risks with the defender.

"Gabby had a little niggle the other day in training," he explained. "Because of the fact that he has been out so long as well, we have to manage him.

"We have been in Spain - a different pitch, different conditions. We go to the UK, different ones - come here, again a lot of changes. We have to minimise the risk with him."

Arsenal have an open training session on Friday in Singapore before they play Newcastle United on Sunday before going to Hong Kong to play Tottenham Hotspur next Thursday.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Chelsea are advancing with their interest in RB Leipzig forward Xavi Simons.

Talks over personal terms for the 22-year-old are under way, with Simons understood to be open to a move to Stamford Bridge and the Bundesliga club aware of the Blues' interest.

Sources have indicated Bayern Munich also hold a level of interest in Netherlands international Simons, but the German champions are currently focused on Liverpool forward Luis Diaz.

Arsenal have also been made aware of Simons' situation.

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Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

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New Arsenal signing Martin Zubimendi says it "wasn't an easy time" for him last summer, as he tried to decide what was best for his future during a spell of intense transfer speculation.

The Spain midfielder finally completed a £60m move to Emirates Stadium from Real Sociedad earlier this month but acknowledged rumours about his future have been rumbling for 12 months.

"The first question I had to answer was whether I wanted to leave Real, and it wasn't the right time," he explained.

"I felt that Real offered me more opportunities and that I still had a lot to learn, so staying at Real was the best decision for me."

Zubimendi and Arteta hit it off after speaking on the phone and the Spain international says the Arsenal manager's "obsession" with "details" is one of the reasons he wanted to join the club.

"I don't know what he saw in me, but I saw him as one of the top coaches in Europe. he explained. "At the end of the day, I wanted a quality coach when I left Real Sociedad.

"I think I've found him. In the few days I've been here, I've seen how meticulous he is about every aspect of the game, so I think he's the one."

Zubimendi also says he is learning "a lot" from his new boss.

"I think I'm going to try to do things I didn't do before," he said. "Playing in that position, I'll try to bring balance and provide that passing outlet that I'm known for.

"Beyond that, I'm sure he'll ask me to do new things."

The midfielder is a statement signing for the Gunners and it is hoped he can be the catalyst to help the club to begin a new era of winning trophies after coming so close in recent seasons.

"I hope so," said Zubimendi. "The most important thing about this club is that they learn from previous seasons.

"I think the lessons they've learned from how last season ended will be key to getting even closer to this year's targets.

"Ultimately, I believe that football comes down to details, especially in the Champions League.

"In that semi-final, Arsenal were the only team in that semi-final who truly stood up to PSG [Paris St-Germain], and they let it slip because of minor details."

Read more from Zubimendi here

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter in Singapore

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Arsenal are in the process of building a squad that they think can help them get to the next level - winning trophies regularly.

Mikel Arteta has brought Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke to the club, two of what have been described as "tier one signings".

The idea is that those players have the capacity and ability to be starters and perform at a high level for a team like Arsenal - but Arteta thinks the tier system is changing because of the fixture schedule.

Arteta said: "I don't believe in the tier one, two, three system that much now because of the way the game is evolving and the demands we put in with 70, 75 games per season.

"We want to build a team - like other clubs already have - where you look at the squad and you cannot really identify who is going to play tomorrow.

"If we get to that point - and that competitiveness has the right level of co-operation between the players as well - that's what we want."

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter in Singapore

Mikel Arteta has said he wants to continue developing players from the Arsenal academy into first-team regulars - adding that youngsters now develop quicker than during his playing days.

Last season, both Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly had their breakthrough campaigns in senior football, with Lewis-Skelly going on to sign a new long-term contract with the club and also make his England debut.

Arteta has included two 15-year-olds, Max Dowman and Marli Salmon, in his 30-man squad that is touring Singapore and Hong Kong during pre-season.

Dowman has been around the first team for a long time and travelled with the senior squad for their training camp in Dubai in January.

"We want to get as much talent as we possibly can from the academy and bring it up to the first team," said the Arsenal boss.

"This is a beautiful context for them to get involved. We have already a few of them in Murcia, in Spain and it is a joy.

"The way they adapt at that age, I could not do - but I think this generation goes faster. They are ready a little bit earlier.

"We don't have to rush. Make sure we manage the right steps and the right expectations for all of them, and then let's see what they demand."

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Valencia's Cristhian Mosquera is flying to Singapore to join up with Arsenal on their pre-season tour, with the Gunners hoping to finalise a deal for the defender in the coming days.

The 21-year-old has been given permission by the Spanish club to join up with Arsenal, having already agreed personal terms.

So, what do we know about Mosquera?

He joined Valencia in 2016 as a 12-year-old, before making his first-team debut in 2022 when he became the youngest centre-back to play for the club.

Over the past two seasons, he has become a regular fixture in the Valencia defence, playing in all but three La Liga matches in the past two seasons. In 2024-25, he not only played the most minutes of anyone in the Valencia squad, but also the second-most of any outfield player in the whole Spanish top flight.

Even at his young age, Mosquera boasts impressive defensive stats. The 21-year-old won 70.7% of his ground duels in the league last season, comfortably the highest success rate of any La Liga defender to contest more than 100. He also won possession an average of 5.15 times per match, the third-highest figure in the division for players in his position.

Unsurprisingly for an Arsenal target, Mosquera also has strong passing numbers. Last season, the Alicante-born defender completed the most passes per match in the Valencia squad and also had the highest passing accuracy. His 90.5% passing accuracy is most comparable to Gabriel's in the existing Arsenal defence (90.2%).

Perhaps the biggest area for improvement is his aerial ability. Despite standing at 6ft 2in, he won 45% of his aerial duels in La Liga last season and had a worse success rate than those of every Arsenal defender in 2024-25.

The hope is that Mosquera has plenty of time to be coached into improving his ability in the air. Learning from dominant forces such as Gabriel and William Saliba should only make that process easier.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter in Singapore

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says up to nine teams have the ability to win the Premier League this season.

The Gunners have finished second in the league for the past three seasons but have spent over £120m so far this transfer window on Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Noni Madueke - and are currently working to complete deals for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres and defender Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia.

However, the Gunners' likely title rivals have been busy, with Liverpool spending more than £250m, Chelsea - who won the Club World Cup - forking out about £200m and Manchester City also spending over £100m after starting the rebuild of their squad in January.

The messaging from the Arsenal camp on their pre-season tour where they play AC Milan and Newcastle in the Singapore Festival of Football is that they are ready to take the next step and win their first trophy since 2020.

When asked, despite the challenges, if he thinks Arsenal can win the title this season, Arteta was quick to answer: "Yes I do. It is getting more and more competitive each year. The level is increasing.

"We know that so our demands have to increase as well. But we have also been very active in the market.

"We have to improve the players we already have, which is a massive objective after that. And then, set the right fundamentals and the right principles in pre-season to get the team ready with the best possible shape and availability to start the season."

In Zubimendi, Arsenal have signed one of the most highly rated midfielders in Europe and a player who had other options to choose from before signing for the Gunners.

It is hoped that Zubimendi's quality and football intelligence is the missing piece for an Arsenal side that have missed out on trophies in recent seasons.

"Every year we have to see how things develop, but I see the right balance in terms of maturity, experience, youth, hunger - all these ingredients are there," Arteta said.

"The thing is there are another six, seven, eight clubs in the league that have the right ingredients to win and there is only going to be one winner.

"So we have to focus a lot on the things that we can control, that we can do, to achieve what we want at the end of the season."

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Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

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"It's a big season for him."

Speaking during Arsenal's pre-season tour of Singapore, Mikel Arteta bigged up the importance of a strong second season for Riccardo Calafiori.

The Italy defender joined from Bologna last summer after a strong campaign at club level and an impressive personal showing at Euro 2024.

When he signed, Arteta said Calafiori possessed "specific skills which will make us stronger".

However, the 23-year-old managed just 29 appearances in all competitions and only 11 Premier League starts during an injury-hit campaign.

The Gunners felt his absence at a critical time, Calafiori missing six league matches from April to May - a period in which the Gunners won just twice - and the Champions League semi-final first leg defeat by Paris St-Germain.

When he was available, he made an impact.

In the Premier League, Calafiori's 1.74 tackles per 90 minutes was the most in the Arsenal squad, while his 0.55 shots blocked per 90 was the fourth-highest.

At 6ft 2in, his physical presence was also notable. Only William Saliba and Ben White won a higher percentage of Arsenal's top-flight aerial duels than Calafiori, and only Mikel Merino, Kai Havertz and Oleksandr Zinchenko won more aerial duels per 90 than his 2.02.

An imposing left-back, Calafiori also showed glimpses of his attacking credentials.

Among Arsenal defenders, discounting Kieran Tierney who barely played, only Myles Lewis-Skelly made more carries into the final third per 90 in the league than Calafiori's 1.38.

Similarly, Calafiori's 0.83 successful take-ons per 90 was only bettered by Jurrien Timber 0.89.

Clearly his callenge now is to stay fit.

"Now we want a player that is consistently available, and performing at the level he can do," said Arteta. "He was certainly missed for a big part of last season."

As Arsenal prepare for a season in which many believe they must secure silverware, a fully-fit Calafiori could be key to that objective.

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Louis Zecevic-John has signed his first professional contract with Arsenal.

The 17-year-old right winger, who can also fill in as a right wing-back, is viewed as one of the brightest prospects in the Gunners academy and chipped in with seven goals and seven assists last season for the under-18s side.

At international youth level, he has represented England and Serbia.

Zecevic-John has already trained with the Arsenal first team.

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We asked for your views on Gabriel's statement that this season "will be different" after admitting Arsenal have "let a couple of titles slip through our fingers".

Here are some of your comments:

Matt: I mean you'd expect to hear it from a player. I'm not sure I'm convinced Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi will complete the team. Still far too reliant on Bukayo Saka. Having Eberechi Eze on the left would mean teams are far less likely to double up on Saka and take him out of the game. That said, maybe Gabriel Martinelli will come good when there's a dangerman up front who can sweep in his cut-backs. Any true Arsenal fan is wary of optimism, but who knows? Trust the process everyone!

Rachel: I would love this season to be different! In reality we all know it can take time for a new team to gel together. With new players comes a change in the dynamic and although I'm confident the new signings will work out well, we could still be waiting a while before everything clicks.

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Guy: I don't share Gabriel's confidence. If you look at the squad this season I don't think it has improved from the squad we started last season with. We have seen our rivals make improvements though. I see us slipping further down the table and we will be fighting for top four rather than the title.

John: It's make or break for this team and the manager this season. We have to win big, simple as that. Players will leave if the title isn't won. We are signing big players so hopefully they produce the performances the fans deserve. It's time to stop talking and go out on that pitch and win.

Roland: I think it will be the same, but nearer to the eventual winners.

Kyle: Once we sign Gyokeres he'll have everything in place for a title push - the striker every fan has been crying out for the past few seasons, cover in every position and a rock solid midfield. However, that will leave nowhere for Arteta and the players to hide. It's time to finally put up, or shut up!

Vince: I'm cautiously confident we can make that final step this time. It looks like we finally have enough depth in quality to withstand the worst injury crisis, and are well balanced in terms of dependable seniors and exciting juniors. Get that forward in, bring Jesus back from injury and we should be celebrating something next May.

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Arsenal have unveiled their away kit for the 2025-26 season.

The club say the shirt is a tribute to "the feeling only our supporters can give, the energy that makes players feel 100ft tall" and that it draws a "fresh take on the iconic lightning bolt design".

Declan Rice told the club's website: "We can't wait to wear it for the first time in front of our supporters here in Singapore. Gooners all over the world give us a special energy. We're excited to take that with us into an exciting new season."

Juergen Rank, senior design director at Adidas, added: "We wanted to create something nostalgic, leaning on the lightning bolt graphic and reinterpreting it in a fresh and contemporary way for the modern era of Arsenal supporters."

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has high hopes for defender Riccardo Calafiori after an injury-hit debut season.

Calafiori, who arrived from Bologna last season, suffered multiple injuries that kept him sidelined for some of the Gunners biggest fixtures throughout the season.

If Arsenal are to get their hands on major silverware for the first time since their FA Cup success in 2020, then Arteta knows they will need all of their players available - and Calafiori is an important part of that.

"It's a big season for him," said Arteta. "He looks very, very excited. We know that one of the biggest things we have to achieve this season is availability.

"It's true that the main two injuries that he had were on international duty while he was playing with Italy. But these things can happen.

"Now we want a player that is consistently available, and performing at the level that he can do because he brings an energy and predictability to the team that we really are going to need.

"He was certainly missed for a big part of last season. Hopefully that second season with more understanding and a little bit more luck, we can see a great version of him."

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Mikel Arteta has been speaking to the media in Singapore before Arsenal face AC Milan on Wednesday in the first game of their pre-season tour (12:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• He said they are "super excited" to be in Singapore for the first stop of their Asia tour and have had an "incredible welcome from supporters here".

• On signing four new players: "It's like shaking the tree again. New faces bring excitement, a new energy as well. I think everybody feels that the heights have to go to different level and it's what we are seeking."

• He denied there is a psychological stumbling block to reaching that next level, saying it "it is the daily work" and "the basic things that we need to have throughout the season to put us in the best probability to achieve our goals."

• Arsenal are "very excited" about midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who signed from Real Sociedad, as they "are all very impressed" by what they have seen so far.

• He couldn't comment on the reported move for Viktor Gyokeres, but added: "There's still a long time in the window and we are still seeking. In terms of numbers, we are short and we have to improve the depth and quality of the squad. We are constantly looking in the market."

• On the support he has received from the board: "You see the club ownership and ambition we have and the alignment. There is an excitement about the new season. Super positive about it."

• Finally, defender Gabriel "looks in good shape" after recovering from a hamstring injury and the others that also missed the end of the season "all look to be going in the right direction and contributing on the tour."

Manchester United have put in a bid for Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, and hope they can persuade him to join them rather than the Gunners. (A Bola - in Portuguese, external)

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are keeping an eye on defender William Saliba. (L'Equipe - in French, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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"This season will be different."

It is a bullish statement, but did you expect anything less from Arsenal centre-back Gabriel?

The Brazil international knows they have "let titles slip" but wants to address that in 2025-26.

Do you share his confidence?

Let us know