This week, Orlando City fans get their first opportunity to watch a top-flight European side. The Orlando City Lions and Arsenal FC were set to face off in a first-ever friendly midseason matchup, taking place at our club Exploria Stadium. Arsenal kept an undefeated record in the preseason with a 3-1 victory over Orlando City. The second match of its trip across the Atlantic saw Arsenal eke out a 3-1 victory over Orlando City. Arsenal then flew to the US, with Arsenal opening up their trip across the Atlantic with a 2-0 win over their English Premier League rivals Everton in Baltimore, where Gabriel Jesus once again found the back of the net.
Second-half goals from Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson were then enough to secure a fourth consecutive win in the preseason. Against Orlando City, Arsenal failed to make things happen on offence, being primarily outplayed in the opening period. Suppose the first half against Orlando City and the second against Everton tell us anything. In that case, the quality difference between the first-team Arsenal squad and their peripheral players is immense.
Thomas Lemar was indeed a target for Arsenal in 2017, and the club competed with Liverpool to sign him. However, both teams could not sign him, and Atletico de Madrid signed him in the summer of 2018. He has stayed with the Spanish club, but their playing style has made it difficult for him to repeat the form he showed at AS Monaco. Despite playing for one of Spain’s greatest teams, rumours continue to associate him with a move to Arsenal. He is now in a crisis in his career and wishes to leave Madrid. However, it appears he has passed up the opportunity to join Arsenal.
According to L’Equipe, he was begun offering to the Gunners, but they declined. He must now decide whether to join another team or remain with Atleti. Oleksandr Zinchenko has agreed to join Arsenal from Manchester City in a £32 million move. Ukrainian won four Premier League titles with Manchester City but appeared in only 15 league matches last season. This summer, Arsenal has already acquired Gabriel Jesus from Pep Guardiola’s team.
Following a successful 2021/22 season in which the Dutch international netted 21 goals and provided 15 assists in 47 appearances, Gakpo is one figure on the north London club’s list of prospective options to Barcelona wideman Raphinha. Raphinha was extensively linked with a summer move to Arsenal and Premier League rivals Chelsea, but the youngster ultimately joined Catalan giants Barcelona. While the Brazilian prefers to play on the right side, Gakpo has often played on the left flank, though he has also played on the right wing and as a centre-forward on occasion.
