Mikel Arteta keen on warm-weather camp for Arsenal after ‘super-busy schedule’ | OneFootball

Arsenal are close to formalising a warm-weather training camp in Dubai following their emphatic 3-0 victory over Dinamo Zagreb which put them on the brink of automatic qualification for the Champions League last 16.

Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard scored in a comfortable win at the Emirates Stadium which meant Arsenal could even afford to lose their final group fixture in Girona next week and still be assured of a direct passage through to the next phase.

Arsenal will face Newcastle in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at St James’ Park on February 5.

But their exit from the FA Cup, and likely assurance of not being involved in a two-legged knockout match to reach the last 16 in Europe, means they are set to have a 10-day break before they return to action in the Premier League against Leicester.

Arsenal headed to Dubai for a week-long training camp a year ago – a decision which transformed their season as they dropped only four points in their final 18 league fixtures.

The success of last season’s winter break has fuelled belief of the importance of another camp next month – particularly in the wake of the team’s jam-packed fixture list coming off the back of last summer’s European Championship.

However, it is understood the club are also aware that a break in the Middle East will not necessarily provide them with the silver bullet needed to end their two-decade wait for a title, given Liverpool’s impressive run in the league.

Arsenal are currently six points behind Arne Slot’s men having played a match more.

Asked what impact a winter camp could have on his injury-hit squad, boss Mikel Arteta said: “If we earn the right to do that, it will be great.

“It has been a super-busy schedule, with a lot of demands, especially on the players, and with a lot of things going on.”

Heading into the final round of Champions League matches, Arsenal are third in the table and three points clear of Aston Villa, who currently occupy ninth spot, with a superior goal difference of seven.

The top eight automatically qualify. Their final opponents, Girona, have lost six of their seven matches so far.

Captain Odegaard, who scored just his second goal of the season in stoppage time to complete the victory against Dinamo, said: “With the new format, you don’t know how many points you need.

“That’s been the key thing, to just take it game by game, and make sure we’re there. That’s what we want, so we’re happy, and it’s looking good, but we have to finish the job.”

Arsenal will return to domestic action at Wolves on Saturday, with their trip to Girona followed by a huge league clash against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Emirates on February 2.