Catch all the latest Arsenal news with a round-up of updates on Bayer Leverkusen friendly, Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal beat Bayer Leverkusen in pre-season friendly
Arsenal played out their penultimate pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The Gunners are still building towards their Premier League opener against Wolves next week, with important squad players receiving minutes to increase their fitness levels.
21 different Arsenal stars entered the pitch against the current Bundesliga champions in a match that will increase confidence among supporters.
A quickfire double from Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leandro Trossard put the North London side into an early lead.
Gabriel Jesus scored just before the break, with Kai Havertz chipping in with a goal after the hour mark.
Leverkusen pulled one back through Adam Hlozek, but it marked a dominating 4-1 win for Arsenal.
So with that said, Arsenal Insider has taken a look at rating every player’s performance in the match.
Read the Arsenal player ratings from the Bayer Leverkusen match, here.
Emile Smith Rowe breaks silence on Arsenal exit
Emile Smith Rowe has confirmed his exit from Arsenal this summer, joining Fulham for a move worth up to £34million.
The winger came through the ranks of the Hale End Academy before finally featuring for the first-team under Mikel Arteta.
The England international formed a partnership with fellow academy graduate Bukayo Saka, which helped stabilise a tough first few seasons for the Arsenal boss.
Since then, a struggle with injuries and a lack of opportunities have seen Smith Rowe relegated to a squad player.
With a search for more opportunities, a move to Fulham creates a chance for the 24-year-old to flourish once again.
Speaking to HaytersTV about the move, he said: “I’ve settled in really well. It was definitely an emotional move.
“Being at Arsenal for so long, it was obviously a sad moment, but I’m in a really good place at the moment.
“I’m really happy and the manager, the staff, and all the players they’ve taken me in so well and everyone has given me confidence and helped me settle in, so I’m really happy about that.”
Read more on Emile Smith Rowe on Arsenal exit, here.
Martin Odegaard compares Arsenal star to Lionel Messi
The Arsenal squad is full of players with plenty of quality, with the side’s rise back to challenging for titles proving that.
While still years away from their peak, stars such as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard have all been part of that journey to the top.
The club captain recently spoke to ESPN UK to discuss his teammates ahead of the new Premier League season.
In the video, Odegaard was asked to give one-word responses in relation to each of his colleagues when given their names.
When it came to Saka, he simply said “starboy”, while Arteta prompted the word “boss”, all for understandable reasons.
However, when asked about Oleksandr Zinchenko, the Norway international responded “Messi”, drawing the comparison to Lionel Messi.
While that may draw some confused responses, the left-back is often praised for his sheer technical quality on the ball.
Zinchenko has often operated as a full-back as well as a midfielder, a role he could only do if he had the technical capability to work in tight spaces.
Despite the Ukraine international facing even more competition for a starting space in the team, it shows just how much quality he truly possesses.
Read more on Oleksandr Zinchenko praise, here.
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