Will the World Cup affect Arsenal's transfer plans?

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Arsenal’s preparations for the new Premier League season are being complicated by the short turnaround after the World Cup, with the final scheduled for Sunday and the domestic campaign just over a month away. Arsenal, who enter the season as defending champions after ending a 22-year wait for the league title, had 15 players at the tournament and still have eight involved in the closing matches.

The main concern highlighted is William Saliba, who came off after 30 minutes of France’s semi-final defeat by Spain while managing a back problem. BBC Sport says Arsenal’s medical staff will assess him when he returns to London, with surgery among the possible options, though that could mean a lengthy absence. The report notes that Ben White and Jurrien Timber are expected to be available early in the season, while Riccardo Calafiori and Cristhian Mosquera are also centre-back options.

Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are also being monitored after playing through fitness issues. Rice has had a hamstring concern and illness during the tournament, while Saka has been managing an Achilles problem that he described as a risk to play through. Both are due the mandatory 21-day holiday after the World Cup, leaving Arsenal to judge how much preseason work they can complete.

On transfers, BBC Sport says Arsenal have a verbal agreement with Club Brugge for Christos Tzolis after selling Leandro Trossard to Besiktas for about £15m. The club may listen to offers for Gabriel Martinelli, are monitoring Julian Alvarez, and retain interest in Morgan Rogers. A long-term Saliba absence could also push Arsenal toward signing another defender.