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Football London
Football London
Sport
Chris Wheatley

Arsenal in discussions over pre-season tour with Stan Kroenke link-up

Arsenal are in discussions over playing two pre-season games in America, football.london understands.

The Gunners were forced to cancel their pre-season tour to America last summer after a Covid-19 outbreak hit their travelling party.

Mikel Arteta's side were due to face Italian champions Inter Milan on Sunday and Colombian side Millionarios in their second game last July.

However, a small group of people in their 80-strong group of players and club staff tested positive, resulting in Arsenal choosing to cancel their trip at the last minute.

football.london understands that talks are underway for Arsenal to play two games in America during their pre-season period.

Although the locations have yet to be confirmed, a match at the Stan Kroenke-owned SoFi Stadium remains a possibility.

The Gunners made two signings from America in January, with Auston Trusty signing a contract ahead of a summer move from Stan Kroenke owned Colorado Rapids.

They also agreed a deal for US men's national team goalkeeper Matt Turner, who subject to passing a medical in the summer will join up with the squad for pre-season.

New rules that came in after Brexit have made it harder for British clubs to sign foreign players from second tier European leagues.

It's expected that players from United States, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina will be easier to recruit and qualify for a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE).

23-year-old Trusty will stay with the Colorado Rapids until at least the end of the Premier League season in May.

He will then be loaned to Europe for the 2022/23 season to further progress his development.

Turner, meanwhile, is set to replace Bernd Leno and rival Aaron Ramsdale for the no.1 spot, with the German expected to leave Arsenal this summer.

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