Arsenal return for pre-season training

Arsenal stars were put through their paces on Tuesday afternoon as they started preparation for the new Premier League season. Just over five weeks after ending the previous campaign by lifting the FA Cup courtesy of Aaron Ramsey’s header in a 2-1 victory over rivals Chelsea, the players were back at their training centre in London Colney, ready to do it all over again.

Taking the session was Arsene Wenger, who put an end to stories about his immediate future at the beginning of the summer by putting pen to paper on a new two-year deal.

There was also a new face among the ranks, as defender Sead Kolasinac met up with his team-mates for the first time since moving from Schalke on a free transfer.

While Wenger and Kolasinac have sorted their futures this summer, Mesut Ozil is still in limbo as to where he will be come September.

The Germany international is yet to sign a new contract with the Gunners and is the subject of interest from clubs on the continent.

However, Ozil was still present and correct on the first day of training, and seemed to be in high spirits as he joked with Spaniard Lucas Perez.

There appeared a good mood across the camp, which may in part have been down to events away from the camera, with Alexander Lacazette undergoing a medical at the base around the same time.

Arsenal are set to break their club record to land the Lyon striker, an addition that will fuel confidence among the current crop of players that the lack of Champions League football this season won’t stifle the club’s ambition.

One star who may take some convincing is Alexis Sanchez, who is still on holiday having only just finished international duties with Chile at the Confederations Cup.

The winger is thought to want to leave the Emirates this summer given the lack of top level European football, but the club have not given up hope of persuading their ma

n to sign a new deal.

With Shkodran Mustafi also missing having just lifted the Confederations Cup with Germany, Per Mertesacker was the only one of Ozil's compatriots at training, as he warmed up alongside Theo Walcott.

Danny Welbeck was also in from the get-go, along with a number of younger stars, including Jeff Reine-Adelaide.

Arsenal will head to Australia to start their pre-season, with Wenger’s side set to take on Sydney next Thursday, before meeting Western Sydney Warriors two days later.

They’ll also face Bayern Munich and Chelsea in China before returning home to host the annual Emirates Cup, where they will face Benfica and Sevilla.

They will then officially get the season up and running as they take on Chelsea once more in the traditional curtain-raiser, the Community Shield on Sunday, August 6.