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Arsenal: First fixtures of 2021/22 Premier League season
Arsenal have cancelled their trip to the USA due to a number of positive Covid tests at the club. Arsenal were set to fly out to Florida this week for the second part of their pre-season preparations. However, they have pulled the plug after players from both the first-team and the academy tested positive.
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Following the draw with Rangers, Arteta was hopeful of having some more "new faces" on the tour to USA.
The Spaniard said: "Now a little bit of recovery. We trained really hard, played two games, and now we're going to be travelling to America in the next week.
"We didn't have any injuries which is really positive in the first week.
"We're going to have some new faces arriving probably, so very positive."
Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta's preparations for next season have taken a hit (Image: EXPRESS)
Arteta is yet to have a full pre-season during his time in charge at Arsenal.
He was appointed as head coach midway through the 2019/20 campaign and the disruption of the coronavirus pandemic limited his preparations ahead of his first full season in charge last summer.
The former Arsenal captain outlined what he wanted to achieve from pre-season before the USA tour was cancelled.
"A few aspects," he said. "Obviously the physical aspect is very important.
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"After five weeks, the players need to get in good shape and the best possible condition to compete at the levels that the Premier League requires.
"Then mentally, we need to prepare the team with the ideas that we have, with the values that we have, with the ambition that we want to take into the league.
"Third, to get the cohesion of the team right, the understanding of the game, what we are looking for, our game model, our principles, and how we're going to develop that in the next five weeks to get to the Premier League in the best possible stage."
Arsenal will play Chelsea on August 1 and Tottenham on August 8 in their final two friendlies before the Premier League opener against Brentford on August 13.