Vinicius contract, Guimaraes announcement, and more: Everything that could happen at Arsenal this week

Arsenal's preparations for the new season are now well underway, and transfer activity is subsequently expected to ensue in the coming days.

The Gunners have spent the last week in northeastern Spain, training at a camp close to Girona. Mikel Arteta's men commenced their pre-season schedule with a 4-1 win over the Blanquivermells, with goals from Kai Havertz, Christos Tzolis, Max Dowman and Gabriel Jesus seeing off the Spanish side.

Now, Arteta and his players will fly to Ireland for the second part of their pre-season, with an encounter against Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday their next task.

Thus far, Tzolis and Illan Meslier are the only new players to step through the entrance door at Sohba Realty this summer. This week could be critical for the Gunners in their pursuit of further reinforcements.

Vinicius Junior contract talks will surely be sorted

The Vinicius Junior saga has dominated Arsenal discourse over the last week, and according to multiple credible sources, this week will be critical in determing his future.

The Brazilian has reportedly agreed personal terms with the Gunners and is ready to leave the Bernabeu for North London if a new contract with the Spanish giants cannot be agreed upon. The player's representatives and the Los Blancos hierarchy are locked in talks, and a verdict is expected to be reached very shortly.

By the end of this week, there should be clarity. Vinicius will either bow to Real Madrid's demands (or vice versa), and he'll commit to a new deal, or he'll make the decision to leave the Galactico club.

If he opts for the latter, it'll then be up to Arsenal to submit a proposal to Florentino Perez that the divisive club president deems acceptable. Either way, it should be clear whether this sensational move to the Emirates is on or not within the next seven days.

The sticking point in the talks with Real Madrid appears to be around a prospective signing-on fee and image rights. Several La Liga sources indicate that Perez won't alter his strategy to cater for Vinicius, while others suggest the player's desire to remain at the Bernabeu is strong enough for him to eventually fold.

Bruno Guimaraes announcement could be made

The Bruno Guimaraes saga continues to drag on. Credible journalists signalled late last week that a deal was imminent and that a medical had even been pencilled in for Guimaraes.

However, news broke from sources more closely associated with Newcastle United on Monday that Arsenal have only just made a formal offer and that bid has been rejected.

Regardless of the state of play, there is a consensus by most in the transfer reporting game that this deal is inevitable at this stage.

Whether it's advanced enough for Guimaraes to commence Arsenal training and immediately take part in a pre-season match by the end of this week remains to be seen, but it's difficult to envisage a world where an official announcement isn't made in the next seven days.

Martin Odegaard to return to training

Arsenal's squad against Girona was a mismatch of a handful of important senior players, academy stars, and a number of players expected to leave before the window closes.

The majority of those who were at the World Cup are yet to return to the fold. Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres and Piero Hincapie are the only ones who were in North America who featured against Girona, while Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli are back in training.

These scattered returns are set to continue over the next two to three weeks, although only one more key man is expected to return this week. Martin Odegaard, who was knocked out of the World Cup at the qurter-final stage, will join up with Arteta's men later this week, likely after they've returned to London following their time in Dublin.

Those who made the semi-finals aren't expected back for another week or two.

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