Mikel Arteta sets Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka ‘demand’ after missing most of Arsenal pre-season

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Arsenal stars Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were part of the England side which reached the final of Euro 2024.

England fell to a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final in Berlin on July 14th, with Rice and Saka both in the starting XI, and this meant that the pair returned later than the rest of their Arsenal teammates.

Arsenal travelled to the USA for a pre-season tour which saw them face Bournemouth, Manchester United and Liverpool.

Rice and Saka therefore missed the majority of pre-season, and are behind some of their teammates in terms of fitness and preparation.

Both came on in the second half of Arsenal’s Emirates Cup thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen, but with just one pre-season match remaining, against Lyon on Sunday, they need to put in extra work to get up to speed, and Mikel Arteta has now outlined what they need to do.

Mikel Arteta lays out fitness expectations for Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka

Speaking after the victory over Leverkusen, Arteta called for his top-performing pair to work hard to ensure that they can seamlessly re-enter the starting lineup as the season begins.

“The season starts in nine days so they have to be ready. This is the demand that they have right now so we will look after them every day they are with us,” Arteta stated of Rice and Saka.

“When we have the ability to give them days off we do, and we give them days off before the Euros. We have given them the rest that they needed.

“The best thing to do is look at their faces and see the spark in their eyes. Because they don’t want to miss it. They know how hard it’s going to be to come back.”

Arsenal fixture list means Rice and Saka need to perform immediately

An extended rest for Saka is not the worst idea, and the opening game against Wolves could see Gabriel Jesus start in his place.

However, Arsenal’s second game is a tough one, away at Aston Villa, and both Rice and Saka will need to be at their best.

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Arsenal need to ensure that both players can build up their match sharpness before then, and with away trips to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City in the first month of the season coming up, there is no room for error.