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Arsenal are back in action as they got their pre-season up and running with a 1-0 victory over AC Milan in Singapore on Wednesday.
Bukayo Saka scored the winning goal for The Gunners, while Arsenal fans got a first glimpse of some of the club’s summer signings.
Mikel Arteta will be hopeful that pre-season goes smoothly as Arsenal bid to finally get over the line and claim their first Premier League title since 2004 next season.
But who will Arsenal play on their tour in Singapore? How many of their new signings have travelled with the squad?
TNT Sports provides you with all the key information about Arsenal’s pre-season preparations.
Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures
MatchDate and timeArsenal v AC Milan (1-0)Wednesday, July 23, 12:30 UK time, SingaporeArsenal v Newcastle UnitedSunday, July 27, 12:30 UK time, SingaporeArsenal v Tottenham HotspurThursday, July 31, 12:30 UK time, SingaporeArsenal v VillarrealWednesday, August 6, 18:00 UK time, LondonArsenal v Athletic ClubSaturday, August 9, 17:00 UK time, London
Arsenal’s pre-season squad
Goalkeepers: David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Tommy Setford, Alexei Rojas.
Defenders: William Saliba, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jurrien Timber, Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Josh Nichols, Marli Salmon.
Midfielders: Martin Odegaard, Christian Norgaard, Mikel Merino, Sambi Lokonga, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Louie Copley.
Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri, Reiss Nelson, Kai Havertz, Ismeal Kabia, Max Dowman, Andre Harriman-Annous.
New Arsenal signing Noni Madueke will not feature for The Gunners on their trip to Singapore after he was given an extended break following his participation in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer.
There was also some disappointing news for Arsenal fans after Gabriel missed out completely in their pre-season opener against AC Milan due to injury.
The club said: “Gabriel is not included in the squad at all as he continues his rehab from last season’s hamstring injury.”
Jurrien Timber was also unavailable for the win over the Italian side, but there was no reason given for his absence.
There have also been reports that Cristhian Mosquera has joined the club on tour as he looks to complete a permanent deal from Valencia this summer.
What has the manager said?
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta was delighted with his team’s display following their 1-0 win over AC Milan in their pre-season opener.
“It’s good, winning and a clean sheet as well, overall a very good performance, a very consistent performance throughout the game,” he told the club’s website.
“We had a lot of changes, we’ve seen the players are playing at a very high level.
‘It’s like shaking the tree again’ – Arteta on Arsenal’s pre-season preparations
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“A big joy as well to watch so many young kids playing at 15, 16, 17 years old performing at that level, overall, very good.”
“In terms of numbers, we are short and we have to improve the depth and quality of the squad,” he told reporters. “We are constantly looking in the market.
“Until that happens, [we] focus on the players we have – and I’m very pleased with what I have seen in the last 10 to 15 days.”
What have the players said?
“I don’t know what he saw in me, but I saw him as one of the top coaches in Europe,” Zubimendi told reporters.
“At the end of the day, I wanted a quality coach when I left Real Sociedad. I think I’ve found him.
“In the few days I’ve been here, I’ve seen how meticulous he is about every aspect of the game, so I think he’s the one.”
CARTAGENA, SPAIN – JULY 14: Martin Zubimendi of Arsenal during a training session at La Manga Club on July 14, 2025 in Cartagena, Spain. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Image credit: Getty Images
When quizzed about the club’s desire to finally get over the line next season, he explained: “The most important thing about this club is that they learn from previous seasons.
“I think the lessons they’ve learned from how last season ended will be key to getting even closer to this year’s targets.
“Ultimately, I believe that football comes down to details, especially in the Champions League.
“I feel that Arsenal were the only team in that semi-final who truly stood up to PSG [Paris St-Germain], and they let it slip because of minor details.”
New signings watch
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Zubimendi all made their debuts for the club in their 1-0 victory over AC Milan.
All three players were introduced in the second half and enjoyed their first 45 minutes with the north London outfit.
Although Saka stole the headlines with the winning goal and 15-year-olds Max Dowman and Marli Salmon impressed on their debuts, the new boys were needed in the penalty shoot-out after the friendly.
Zubimendi slotted away his spot-kick while Kepa showed why he could turn out to be the perfect goalkeeper for cup competitions after saving three penalty kicks.
Kepa Arrizabalaga made three saves in the shoot-out against AC Milan.
Image credit: Getty Images
Following the friendly, Arteta was delighted with the way the signings had adapted to their new surroundings.
“I think they adapted really quickly, really fast,” he explained.
“It’s an incredible group of players that we have and they’ve made them feel straightaway very welcome and you can tell, they were very loose, very relaxed, very confident in everything that they did and, again, a very positive performance.”
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