Arsenal: The 13 senior players available for Hibernian clash

The break from football on our screens need only be one day long as Arsenal are back in action on Tuesday as their pre-season preparations get underway with a five-day tour of Scotland.

From heartbreak to Hibernian, Mikel Arteta’s side travelled north on Monday with a group of around 30 players ahead of their Easter Road clash which will be followed by a trip to Ibrox to face Rangers on Saturday.

That second fixture will be the first to feature the new 2021/22 home kit, with Arsenal seemingly going to all the measures they can to convince Andre Onana to sign with their new Ajax inspired strip.

Someone who obviously won’t be joining up with the squad is Bukayo Saka. The star boy suffered agony with England as his deciding spot-kick was saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma, confirming the Three Lions’ defeat to Italy.

Arsenal: The 13 senior players available for Hibernian clash as Mikel Arteta prepares for first fixture of summer pre-season tour

Goal has confirmed that Saka will now be granted three weeks rest, the most deserved break of any footballer on the planet after his incredible Premier League campaign with Arsenal and valiant efforts at Euro 2020.

Kieran Tierney, Bernd Leno, Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira are all also still on holiday following their international excursions, with two, possibly three, of those players potentially making moves elsewhere before they come back. It’s not looking likely though.

However, the senior players on the plane have been confirmed.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Nicolas Pepe, Thomas Partey, Emile Smith Rowe, Hector Bellerin, Cedric Soares, Rob Holding, Sead Kolasinac, Joe Willock, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari have all ventured to Edinburgh and are in line to feature in some capacity.

Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Willian, Alex Runarsson, Mohamed Elneny, Joe Willock and Ainsley Maitland-Niles haven’t been mentioned but will presumably also be with the squad.

There is also an expected debut for Nuno Tavares, the only signing so far this window. It will be strange to see Kolasinac in an Arsenal shirt once more and due to the recency of the Portuguese’s arrival it may well be that the Bosnian starts on Tuesday with Tavares brought on later.

Albert Sambi Lokonga, meanwhile, is undergoing a period of isolation and will be announced in time for the following tour of the Unites States.

What is exciting is the youngsters who will join up with the first team and push for minutes. Omar Rekik is confirmed on the plane and stands a strong change of involvement with only two senior central defenders among the squad. Alex Kirk and Harry Clarke are also in with a chance.

Miguel Azeez, Charlie Patino, Catalin Cirjan, James Olayinka, Ben Cottrell, Omari Hutchinson, Kido Taylor-Hart, Arthur Okonkwo (who is not a senior squad member) and Tyreece John-Jules are also some of the names vying for involvement, which will make for an interesting two meetings coming up.