GOAL takes a look at what the Gunners and Mikel Arteta have planned while the footballing world is watching events in Qatar
The World Cup is fast approaching, with this weekend seeing the final round of Premier League fixtures until Boxing Day.
Players who have been selected to take part in Qatar will then be jetting off to join up with their national teams in the coming days – with Arsenal duo Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus already called up by Brazil.
So what will be happening at Arsenal while the World Cup is taking place? What will Mikel Arteta be doing to keep players who are not involved in the tournament in the best possible shape?
GOAL has the answer to those questions, and more…
(C)Getty imagesHoliday time
Arsenal’s final Premier League game before the break for the World Cup is against Wolves on Saturday night. After that, the players who have been selected to compete in Qatar will head off to link up with their national teams.
But the squad members who are not involved in the World Cup, such as captain Martin Odegaard, will be given around a week off to recharge their batteries after such a hectic start to the season.
They will be granted permission to enjoy some holiday time with their families before returning to training at London Colney.
AdvertisementTraining camp in Dubai
After a few days back at London Colney, Arteta and his squad will fly out for a training camp in Dubai.
The Gunners have been there a number of times in recent years, with the squad most recently visiting in February.
Arteta is a big fans of the facilities on offer in Dubai, and he and the squad are due to spend 10 days there during their warm weather training camp.
They are set to be based at the Nad Al Sheba Training Centre.
GettyA meeting with AC Milan
Arsenal will not just be training while they are in Dubai, they will also be taking part in an exhibition tournament.
They are due to play two games during the competition, with AC Milan – also sponsored by Emirates – one of the other teams involved.
The other game is due to be against Lyon, although final contracts for the tournament have yet to be signed.
Discussions are at an advanced stage, however, with Liverpool set to be the fourth team involved. The two English clubs will not play each other, though.
Arsenal are due to meet Lyon on December 8 and then AC Milan on December 13.
Both games are set to be played in the Al Maktoum Stadium, the home of Al Nasr. Fans will be able to attend.
GettyWhat happens to players knocked out of the World Cup?
With Arsenal basing themselves in Dubai, there is a chance that players who get knocked out of the World Cup early could link up with the rest of the squad in the UAE.
That is not confirmed, however, as national team duties could mean the players would have to travel back to their home country with the rest of the squad after exiting the tournament.
Arteta is keen for his players to join the squad in Dubai, so there is a possibility Arsenal will look to make it happen. But it all depends on individual circumstances.