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Arsenal set to kick-off the 2024/25 season against Wolves

By on August 16, 2024

Arsenal Kai Havertz Mikel Arteta

Arsenal will kick off their 2024/25 Premier League season with a home match against Wolves at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners narrowly missed out on the title to Manchester City in the past season and plan on finishing the new season at the top of the League.

Mikel Arteta and his star stubbed team are determined to secure both domestic and European silverware this season. This summer’s transfer activities have bolstered their chances of winning their first league title in two decades. The club has secured permanent deals for David Raya, Tommy Setford, and Riccardo Calafiori, while Emile Smith Rowe exited the team to join Alex Iwobi at Fulham on the club’s top-record transfer fee. 

Arsenal beat Wolves 2-1 at home last season, thanks to Saka and Captin Odegaard, they also beat Gary O’Neil’s team 2-0 away from home in the second half of the season and are favorites to come out victorious in the encounter on Saturday. Arsenal has won all six previous encounters against the Wanderers and are set to expand the streak. While the Gunners aim to clinch all three points at the Emirates, they should be wary of Gary O’Neil’s Wolves who have shown how resilient they are in their previous encounters and against Enfland’s Big Six clubs. Wolves lost Pedro Neto to Chelsea this summer and are seeking to land a replacement to fill the gap soon. Ajax’s Carlos Forbs is on their wishlist.  

The Premier League announced Jarred Gillett as the head of the officials for the Gunner’s game against Wolves. Referee Jarred Gillett will officiate the game alongside his assistants – Darren Cann and Nick Greenhalgh, while Gavin Ward is the fourth official. Paul Tierney will be on VAR with Natalie Aspinall as VAR’s assistant.

The transfer window will be open for over two more weeks and Arsenal is likely to continue strengthening their squad with the intense search for a new No.9. The club is actively pursuing deals for Mikel Merino and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, with speculation also linking them to several attackers, including Simon Adingra and Bayern Munich duo – Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman. 

The Gunners are optimistic about finalizing a deal for Merino this week, especially following clubmate Martin Zubimendi’s decision to stay at Real Sociedad and sign a new contract amid Liverpool’s interest. Arsenal will surely increase their effort in landing the Spanish midfielder to avoid meeting the same fate. Arsenal wants a deal of around £25 million since his contract expires next summer. Merino expected to fill the void left by Smith Rowe’s departure. Should Arteta succeed in signing the experienced midfielder before the Wolves match, Merino could be available for Arsenal’s following fixture against Aston Villa.

ARSENAL REJECTS COMAN LOAN DEAL

Bayern Munich has expressed willingness to loan Kingsley Coman, but Arsenal is unlikely to pursue this opportunity to secure the services of the talented Frenchman. 

Coman’s preference for playing on the left makes the deal less attractive for Arsenal given their current squad options. The likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard fill the position and signing another player for that position is not of importance or interest to the club at the moment. Moreover, Arsenal’s cautious approach to new signings suggests they are unlikely to rush into a deal for a player in whom they have shown little interest in the past.  

The 28-year-old didn’t make much impression for the German club in their trophyless season and has been constantly haunted by a series of injuries throughout his career. As a left winger, the 2020 UEFA Champions League hero has scored 42 times and assisted 36 times but has managed 19 goals and 27 assists as a right winger. He has scored 63 goals and made 66 assists while playing for the German Giants. 

ROSA KAFAJI ARSENAL WOMEN FROM HACKEN

Arsenal Women have confirmed the signing of 21-year-old attacking midfielder Rosa Kafaji. The young Swedish hails from Stockholm and was Hacken’s top scorer last season, hitting the back of the post 15 times. This includes four goals in the UEFA Champions League Group stages against the stuffed PSG, Real Madrid, and Chelsea teams before their early exit. Generally, Kafaji scored 28 goals in 61 appearances during two-and-a-half years at Hacken. 

Kafaji is Arsenal’s third addition this summer, following the arrivals of Mariona Caldentey and Daphne van Domselaar. She will replace Vivianne Miedema, who joined Manchester City on a free transfer earlier this summer after the end of her contract with the Gunners. Kafaji will wear the number 16 jersey for Arsenal in the coming season. On joining the Gunners, She quoted:

“It feels amazing to join this club – I’m so happy to be here. I had a very good feeling after speaking to Jonas and Clare and it just feels right to be at Arsenal. I’m hungry to keep growing and I know this is the right place for me to do that and compete for the biggest trophies. I can’t wait to get started and walk out at Emirates Stadium in front of all our supporters.”

Head Coach Jonas Eidevall expressed her delight in securing the services of the young Swedish star who has featured nine times for the national team. She continues to grow her team for the new WSL championship, to return the club’s stolen dominance to Chelsea, and to match the talents, skills, and competition of Manchester City and Manchester United women. 

Arsenal women will face Washington Spirit this Sunday in DC, followed by another friendly against Chelsea in DC the following week. Rosa Kafaji has already joined the first team training and will likely feature for the Gunners in their remaining pre-season games to get a feel of the team before the start of the season. Emily Fox is expected to join the team later on. She spent her summer winning Gold with the USA national team at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Arsenal Women will wrap up their pre-season schedule with an away friendly against Southampton on Saturday 31st August. Arsenal will begin their campaign with a Champions League qualifier against Glasgow Rangers at Boreham Wood on 4 September.

ARSENAL UPCOMING FIXTURES

Aston Villa vs. Arsenal (Premier League, Saturday 24th August 2024, 17:30)  

Venue: Villa Park

Arsenal vs. Brighton and Hove Albion (Premier League, Saturday 31st August 2024, 12:30)  

Venue: Emirates Stadium

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal (Premier League, Sunday 15th September 2024, 14:00)  

Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Manchester City vs. Arsenal (Premier League, Sunday 22nd September 2024, 16:30)  

Venue: Etihad Stadium

Arsenal vs. Leicester City (Premier League, Saturday 28th September 2024, 15:00)  

Venue: Emirates Stadium

Arsenal’s FA Cup and Carobao Cup fixtures are not yet fixed. As of the UEFA Champions League, the competition would take a new turn this season. With its expansion, the usual eight groups of four teams are no longer suitable. A new format featuring a single league that includes all participating teams. This change also means that the draw will have a very different approach when it’s done in Monaco on Friday, August 30. 

GET AVAILABLE ARSENAL TICKETS!

Mark your calendar for the upcoming matches at the Emirates Stadium, in England and across Europe. Make sure to research spots for yourself and your loved ones by getting Arsenal Tickets while they are still available. Secondary marketplaces remain your Go-to spot for securing a place in the Action. Grab yours quickly by exploring seat maps and comparing prices to pick the best spots for a beautiful experience.

It’s another season for Mikel Arteta and his boys to fight for the crown in the Premier League. Arsenal have made significant changes with the Summer transfer window to strengthen their backline and improve attacking options. While the transfer dealings are far from over, Arteta would be lucky to have one of the star subbed teams in England and Europe. 

The Gunner’s upcoming fixtures are promising, and fans can’t wait to be at the games to cheer on the team. Ensure you don’t miss any drama, reserve your tickets, and rally behind Arsenal on their journey to beat other teams to the Premier League and domestic titles this season, and head for dominance on the European stage.