Duo miss Gunners tour

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed both Danny Welbeck and Alexis Sanchez will miss the club’s pre-season trip to Singapore.

Welbeck has failed to recover from a knee injury and Sanchez has been allowed additional time off after winning the Copa America with Chile
with Chile, as has keeper David Ospina.

Serge Gnabry and Tomas Rosicky are also missing for the Gunners, but Calum Chambers has been included.

Wenger revealed Sanchez will not report back until August 3, a day after Arsenal face Chelsea in the Community Shield, and the former Barcelona star seems set to miss the start of the new Premier League season.

“Calum has decided to shorten his holiday and come back on Friday,” Wenger told the club’s official website. “He didn’t play in the Under-21s and needs preparations.

“Welbeck isn’t completely recovered from the problem he had [at the end of last season]. He’s not back in full training so he will stay behind. Rosicky will stay back because he got a small injury at his last game against Iceland with Czech Republic.

“Ospina is on holiday until July 27 and Alexis is on holiday until August 3. Serge Gnabry is on holiday after playing with the Under-21s. He’s back on July 20.”

Last year the Gunners boss rested his German contingent at the start of the season after their World Cup win and if he takes the same approach with Sanchez he could miss the majority of their games during the first month of the campaign.

It remains to be seen whether or not Welbeck and Rosicky will be available for the Gunners’ first game of the season at home to West Ham after an injury-hit pre-season.

Arsenal are 5.00 to win the Premier League outright next season and 1.33 to win their opening league game against the Hammers.