Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has been training out in Dubai to ensure he hits the ground running this season.
Rice is currently on a break after helping England reach the final of Euro 2024, where he played more minutes and covered more ground than any other player.
The 25-year-old missed Arsenal’s tour to the US this month, but he is due to join pre-season training this weekend once the Gunners are back in the UK.
Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka, David Raya and William Saliba are set to return too, after also being given extended breaks for going deep at Euro 2024.
Arteta is confident those players returning late will be ready to go when Arsenal face Wolves in their opening Premier League game on August 17 - and Rice has been working hard out in Dubai to ensure that is the case.
The midfielder has been training with performance coach, Chris Bowman, who is a favourite among Premier League players.
Spurs’ new signing Archie Gray worked with Bowman earlier this summer and so did Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash.
Rice has worked with Bowman in the past and will hope the extra work he is putting in now pays off this season.
“I’m very confident,” said Arteta, when asked on Monday whether he feels he’ll have his whole squad for the opening game of the season.
“They want to be part of it as quickly as possible, and they are preparing to be ready when they come, not just preparing when they come back at the end of this week.”
