Arsenal vs Hibernian: 5 players to look out for in pre-season clash

51 days after putting Brighton to the sword 2-0 at home on the final day of the Premier League season Arsenal are back on our screens north of the border to face Hibernian.

Part one of a two part mini-tour, Rangers will follow on the Saturday before the side jet off to the USA as part of the Florida Cup. It’s a period of the year that can’t be looked to deeply into but nonetheless is an exciting time to take a glance at new players and youngsters vying for first team involvement.

So far, however, only one new face has walked through the Emirates doors. The summer transfer window is going to be a busy one for Arsenal even if it’s yet to take off, with Albert Sambi Lokonga an isolation period way from being announced and the pursuit of Ben White hotting up towards its now ‘imminent‘ conclusion.

There will be some absentees for the tour, with the obvious one being Bukayo Saka. Following his glorious efforts with England at Euro 2020 the 19-year-old will be granted three weeks’ rest which will see him return after the home clash with Chelsea in The Mind Series and just before the following clash with Tottenham.

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Arsenal vs Hibernian: 5 players to look out for in pre-season clash as Mikel Arteta prepares his side for Tuesday’s meeting

It’s unlikely he’ll play any part though and will surely miss the opening fixtures of the coming season as he builds up his fitness. He deserves all the time off he can get.

Bernd Leno and Kieran Tierney will also be later arrivals after their own international excursions, with the same applying to Lucas Torreira who was away with Uruguay at Copa America and Granit Xhaka who got to the European Championship quarter-finals with Switzerland.

How many of those secure moves away before they head back to north London remains to be seen.

A squad of around 30 has made the trip to Edinburgh but there are some prominent Under-23 absentees who won’t be playing part. Among them is Miguel Azeez, someone tipped for more first team involvement next season. The Under-23 side – to be led by Ryan Garry and Ken Gillard until a full-time manager is appointed – have a few friendlies to come and many of the players, like Ben Cottrell and Nikolaj Moller, are set for loan departures this summer window.

There are some faces to look out for against Hibernian, though; a few exciting options due for minutes under Mikel Arteta. Here are five of them.

1. Arthur Okonkwo – Goalkeeper

Now an official first team squad member, Arthur Okonkwo will get his chance to impress in Scotland with the current goalkeeper situation opening the door for some valuable minutes.

As mentioned, Leno is still enjoying some time off after Germany reached the last 16 of the Euros, and with Mat Ryan no longer at the club and officially signing for Real Sociedad, it leaves only Runar Alex Runarsson and him as the senior options.

Even then, the Icelandic goalkeeper is set to imminently joining Altay S.K. in Turkey on a deal that may very well be permanent. The deal is still to be finalised but it’s no secret that he doesn’t have a long-term future with Arsenal and he is not part of the squad in Scotland.

Given Leno is still away and with Runarsson not present it will mean minutes for the newly signed keeper, although they may be shared with three other options present, Hein, Hillson and Smith.

A big opportunity for the 19-year-old.