Arsenal earn double squad boost as Premier League approaches

Watching Mikel Arteta be forced to field Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out on the left once more in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham was a stark reminder of how weak this squad is. Of course, he could have opted for Willian or Reiss Nelson but the former didn’t even make the Arsenal squad.

With everyone back fit, however, the options in wide areas is plentiful. Sunday’s loss saw the hugely welcome return of Bukayo Saka to add quality and numbers in those areas, while the hopeful arrival of a new central creative force ensures Emile Smith Rowe can be utilised on the left as well.

Arsenal aren’t exactly winning over any doubters with their transfer activity, or lack thereof, and similarly blunt final third activity as witnessed last season is seeing temporarily dormant issues bubble back up to the surface.

Fortunately there is someone who is winning: Gabriel Martinelli.

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Arsenal earn double squad boost as Premier League approaches with Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes back at London Colney

Fresh from his gold medal success with Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics, the 20-year-old is now back at London Colney with the rest of his teammates. There is no rest for the wicked. As magnificent an achievement as it was for him, getting to the final did delay his return. A happy delay, mind you.

Playing only 22 minutes of the triumphant campaign, it would nonetheless feel too soon for Martinelli to be thrust into the starting lineup against Brentford. He is certainly in with a shout, though. Despite being 6,000 miles away, his time with the national squad was effectively his pre-season albeit not under Mikel Arteta’s eye.

There is the real chance of a substitute appearance in Friday’s Premier League opener.

The same can’t be said for Gabriel Magalhaes. Suffering a knee injury in the build-up to him joining Martinelli in Tokyo, the defender has been out of action since.

Arsenal couldn’t provide a set date for the 23-year-old’s return but did state he would be back in training in the ‘forthcoming weeks’. He is back at Colney though and while it will be some time yet before he’s back in action, having seen Pablo Mari struggle in the previous two outings, his mere presence is a boost.

Not to the starting lineup, but certainly to the squad.

The higher line adopted with Ben White’s arrival is a practice that will work better on the grass with the more athletic Brazilian alongside him. Mari is the only option Arteta has to play left centre-back if he wants to keep a left-footer, and the sooner Gabriel can be back in contention, ideally before the international break, the better.

These two back on home soil is a welcome sight. Martinelli most definitely of all.