Arsenal make early start to pre-season as Mikel Arteta takes six stars for Marbella training camp

Arsenal have kicked off their pre-season preparations early by holding a training camp in Marbella.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta and most of his coaching staff are currently in the Spanish city with six members of the first-team squad - Ben White, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, Jurrien Timber and Reiss Nelson.

They will be joined by captain Martin Odegaard next week, with Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey also due to link up with the group at some stage.

Sporting director Edu is also intending to fly out to Spain and be with the group for part of the training camp.

Arsenal are planning to work out there until a week on Friday, with Arteta and his players eager to hit the ground running ahead of the new season.

Players will be worked hard during sessions in Marbella, but they will also have time to relax and spend time with their families.

Such a set-up is often employed by Arsenal for training camps, such as when they visited Dubai during the middle of last season.

Arsenal hope that the camp in Marbella will get those players not at the Copa America or European Championship in top shape before they begin pre-season in earnest next month.

The Gunners are heading out to the USA for a tour and they will have matches against Liverpool and Manchester United. A third game is due to be arranged, with Bournemouth - who are in the USA this summer - a possible opponent.

Arsenal will then round off pre-season with matches at the Emirates Stadium against Bayer Leverkusen and Lyon.