Arsenal are preparing to welcome Newcastle United in their final home game of the season.
Mikel Arteta’s side held an opening training session at the Emirates Stadium in the build up to the game and Kai Havertz gave Arsenal a fitness boost as he participated following hamstring surgery.
Gabriel Martinelli limped out of training but is expected to be fit for the visit of Eddie Howe’s side, Declan Rice and Leandro Trossard also training amid injury concerns.
Arsenal already have one eye on next season in the transfer market with Martin Zubimendi’s arrival imminent and journalist Charles Watts has given an insight into some interesting squad number changes.
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Ethan Nwaneri to wear David Raya’s squad number 22 next season
As per Charles Watts Football, Hale End star Ethan Nwaneri will move from his current squad number of 53 into David Raya’s number 22 next season.
The Gunners are expected to launch their new kit imminently and the players will sport their new squad numbers as part of that launch.
Myles Lewis-Skelly stays as number 49 as he knows the importance of the number to Arsenal’s history – a reference to the great Invincibles side under Arsene Wenger.
As for Raya, he will officially be the club’s number one next campaign, a significant number in history of the Gunners with the likes of David Seaman and Bob Wilson to emulate.
Significant Arsenal squad numbers still available
Zubimendi wants Ben White’s number when he joins the Gunners in the summer as the Spanish midfielder has a love of the squad number four.
There are still some significant numbers yet to be claimed and potential signings will have some big boots to emulate – Dennis Bergkamp’s number ten is available following Emile Smith-Rowe’s departure.
Viktor Gyokeres is close to signing for Arsenal and could step into the number 14 shirt, famously worn by the club’s all-time top goal scorer, Thierry Henry.
Other significant numbers still available are 13, predominantly used in football for back-up goalkeepers and 16, previously worn by Aaron Ramsey.
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