ARSENAL HANDED EARLY PRESEASON BOOST

Arsenal have been handed an early preseason boost following the news that two young players are on the verge of committing their futures to the club. It was revealed by Football London that teenage winger Kido Taylor-Hart and highly rated shot stopper Arthur Okonkwo are closing in on new contracts with the Gunners. The news released on Thursday evening said that they will sign long-term Arsenal contracts.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and the first team playersreturned to training this week as they begin preparations for the new season.Arteta and the Arsenal players will travel to Scotland for a training camp next week and the aforementioned young players are expected to be in the travelling party. While they are in Scotland, Mikel Arteta and his players will take on Hibernian and Scottish champions Rangers.

Talented winger Taylor-Hart is exciting the Arsenal fans and he has drawn similarities with German and Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane who was a Manchester City player before he moved to the Allianz Arena at the start of last season. Taylor-Hart has been compared to Sane as a result of his pace and directness. The winger is in the top three for pace in the Arsenal academy.

On his part, Okonkwo is a talented goalkeeper highly regarded at Arsenal. He will almost certainly get his chance in preseason with the Gunners short of experienced goalkeepers at the moment. First choice Bernd Leno is presently on holiday after his participation at Euro 2020 with Germany, while second choice Matt Ryan has left the club at the end of his short-term loan deal from Brighton and Hove Albion. Latest reports claimed that Spanish team Real Sociedad are closing in on a deal for the Australian national team player. Third choice Alex Runnarson might be on his way to Turkey as the Icelandic international is attracting interest from the Turkish Super League.