Arsenal training detail from Dubai emerges to ramp up Mikel Arteta fury after transfer call

Arsenal training detail from Dubai emerges to ramp up Mikel Arteta fury after transfer call Newspoint | 26/02/2025 06:39:13

Arsenal's cost a whopping £1.2million, it has been claimed. After the Gunners , Mikel Arteta took his squad over to the Middle East for a six-day warm weather training camp.

The entire first-team squad and a large amount of backroom staff travelled by a private charter plane on Thursday, February 6 and came home on Wednesday, February 12. Arsenal's trip to Dubai was a mix of rest and recuperation but they also trained hard - and had only one complete day off, as per .

And it was during one of those training sessions where Kai Havertz suffered a serious hamstring injury. The Germany international has since undergone successful surgery and his focus is on returning for the 2025/26 season, though there is a slight chance he could feature before the end of the current campaign.

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Arsenal then lost their first home game back as they were beaten 1-0 against West Ham which has all-but ended their Premier League title hopes as Liverpool moved 11 points clear on Sunday.

After the success of last season's Dubai trip - with the Gunners going on a storming run during the business end of the campaign - it was thought that Arteta's side could benefit from another trip to the Gulf state. But with Havertz injured and the total cost of the trip coming to £1.2m, question marks have been raised.

Arsenal also decided against signing a new striker in the January transfer window and there might be more fury aimed at Arteta and the board not to bring in a new No.9, especially with the amount spent on the Dubai trip. Havertz's absence has left the Gunners without a recognised centre forward - with Gabriel Jesus also unavailable.

On the back of the 2024 visit, Arsenal emphasised that this campaign's trip was considered into the budget and the players, staff and everyone had a great time and saw the benefit, both from a bonding and a training point of view. As well as the senior squad, some younger players - such as Max Dowman - travelled.

Arsenal do have powerful commercial and partner tie-ups in Dubai so sponsorship deals would have helped offset the £1.2m outlay and also strengthen future relationships.

Nottingham Forest were among the other Premier League clubs that decided to enjoy a mid-season trip, as they also went to Dubai. There is always a debate whether players would benefit more for a warm weather break or a complete rest and time at home with their families - and some others went down the second route instead.