Is Arsene Wenger Ready To Win Big?

Arsenal are hoping to use the FA Cup title and Arsene Wenger’s new contract as a springboard for a productive summer, which will see the Gunners travel to both Australia and China for preseason games.

Arsenal fly to Sydney for two games against local teams on July 12 and 15 before high-profile games against Bayern Munich in Shanghai (International Champions Cup) and Chelsea (friendly) in Beijing. Those are two familiar foes for Wenger’s team, having been routed by Bayern in the Champions League and beaten Chelsea in the FA Cup final this past season. It’s the first of two trips to Australia for the Gunners, who will return there next summer as well.

The Emirates Cup returns after a one-year hiatus, and Arsenal will face Chelsea yet again in the Community Shield at Wembley before the start of the season.

Arsenal will have new signing Sead Kolasinac them on their travels, but could leave Alexis Sanchez at home to give him a longer rest after the Confederations Cup in Russia. That is if Sanchez is still an Arsenal player, with speculation still rampant that he could leave the club.

Fixtures

July 13: Sydney FC vs. Arsenal (Friendly, Sydney, Australia)
July 15: Western Sydney Wanderers vs. Arsenal (Friendly, Sydney, Australia)
July 19: Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich (International Champions Cup, Shanghai)
July 22: Arsenal vs. Chelsea (Friendly, Beijing, China)
July 29: Arsenal vs. Benfica (Emirates Cup, Emirates Stadium)
July 30: Arsenal vs. Sevilla (Emirates Cup, Emirates Stadium)
Aug. 6: Chelsea vs. Arsenal (Community Shield, Wembley)

Total matches: Seven

Total miles traveled: 21,330 (estimated)
London to Sydney: 10,556 miles
Sydney to Shanghai: 4,897 miles
Shanghai to Beijing: 819 miles
Beijing to London: 5,058 miles

Uncertainties

Wenger’s future is finally secure, but the real question is how much a part of preseason that Sanchez and Mesut Ozil play. One imagines that, given they both have a year left of their contract, the club will do everything they can to keep them. But they’re a long way from the negotiating table if other clubs are interested this summer.

Ins and outs

Arsenal are desperate to make a big splash in the transfer market to back up their talk about ambition following the decision to give Wenger a new contract. The club have been linked with a record-breaking bid for Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe, although Alexandre Lacazette may be a more realistic target. Wenger has insisted he only needs to make “one or two” top-class signings, meaning a massive overhaul of the squad remains unlikely.

The bigger question may be whether he can keep the core of his team together, with Sanchez and Mesut Ozil yet to commit their long-term futures to the club, while players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey also need new contracts. Still, there should be more outgoings than incomings as Arsenal trim their squad ahead of a season without Champions League football.

Already signed:
– Sead Kolasinac, LB: Schalke, free transfer

Major players linked with arrival:
– Kylian Mbappe, FW: Monaco, £100m
– Alexandre Lacazette, FW: Lyon, £50m
– Thomas Lemar, MF: Monaco, £30m
– Riyad Mahrez, FW: Leicester, £30m
– Henry Onyekuru; FW: KAS Eupen, £7m

Already left:
– Yaya Sanogo, FW: contract ended

Possible departures:
– Alexis Sanchez, FW: Bayern Munich, £50m
– David Ospina, GK: Fenerbahce, £3m
– Wojciech Szczesny, GK: Juventus, £10m
– Kieran Gibbs, LB: £10m
– Mathieu Debuchy, RB: £5m

Youngsters

While Arsenal fans dream of Mbappe, they may not want to forget about one of the club’s own teenage strikers. Eddie Nketiah, 18, has been pouring in goals for the club’s youth teams for the last two years and could get a chance to feature in the team’s preseason games. Attacking midfielder Reiss Nelson and recent Under-20 World Cup winner Ainsley Maitland-Niles could also be auditioning for regular playing time.

Returning from loan:
– Jack Wilshere, MF: Bournemouth
– Wojciech Szczesny, GK: Roma
– Joel Campbell, FW: Sporting Lisbon
– Calum Chambers, CB: Middlesbrough
– Chuba Akpom, FW: Brighton

Wenger always brings a number of youngsters with him on preseason tours, with the likes of Alex Iwobi and Jeff Reine-Adelaide having used such opportunities to earn a place in the first-team dressing room. This summer should be no different, and a group of promising academy players should be on the plane to Australia. And they know from previous years that a couple of impressive performances can well earn them playing time at the Emirates next season. Perhaps we’ll even see a first glimpse of Cohen Bramall, the left-back who was signed from non-league side Hednesford Town in January and has impressed with the U23s.

Possible youth-teamers to travel to US:
– Eddie Nketiah, FW, 18 years old
– Reiss Nelson, MF, 17
– Chris Willock, MF, 19
– Cohen Bramall, LB, 21
– Krystian Bielik, CB, 19
– Donyell Malen, FW, 18