Declan Rice has informed Mikel Arteta that he will be ready to participate from day one of his return to Arsenal for pre-season, despite a delayed return for the England international.
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Several of Arsenal’s international players from England, Spain, and France are scheduled to return late for pre-season after participating in the 2026 World Cup until the tournament’s conclusion.
Among the England players are Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze, all of whom played their last match in the tournament two weeks ago on July 18th.
This means they will each have an additional week off, fulfilling the minimum three-week holiday requirement.
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Nevertheless, Rice has reportedly assured Mikel Arteta that he will be ready to play matches immediately upon his return to the squad.
Arteta mentioned, “When I talk to Declan, he’s already planning, saying, ‘If I return this day, then I can play (then),’ and the others feel the same,” as reported on Arsenal.com.
“We have three different pre-seasons with different groups. However, the crucial aspect isn’t the program itself, but rather the attitude behind it.”
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This could imply that Rice may be available for Arsenal’s upcoming match against Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup on August 9th, coinciding with the end of his holiday.
Typically, it isn’t expected for a player to participate in a match on the same day they resume training, but Rice seems confident in suggesting he could do so.
Ideally, Arsenal might prefer to ensure he’s fully prepared for matches scheduled for the following week, including a friendly against Como on Wednesday and the Community Shield against Manchester City on Sunday.
However, if he can get some minutes in the match against Dortmund, it would position him favorably for those subsequent games.
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