Arsenal have already started planning for life after Arsene Wenger and have appointed Unai Emery as their new manager. They are already busy plotting moves for potential transfer targets but the fans of the club have a lot more to cheer for this summer as the FIFA World Cup in Russia is expected to keep them busy.
The Gunners have a really talented squad, with a number of star players heading to Russia with their national sides. The Arsenal faithful will surely look to cheer them on and here are 3 such Arsenal players to look out for in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia:
#3 Mesut Ozil (Germany)
Arguably one of the best playmakers in the world at the moment, Ozil was not at his best in the recent Premier League season but is a crucial part of the German national side.
Ozil is a regular starter and will play in a no.10 role, acting as the creator in chief in the middle of the park. He was unplayable in the last edition of the competition, where he won his side the title and will be heading to Russia to play in his third edition of FIFA’s main event.
So he will surely be one of the best players to watch out for in the tournament this year. With Marco Reus and Timo Werner around him, he could be a lot more effective in a German jersey than he was in an Arsenal kit.
#2 Alex Iwobi (Nigeria)
Though not the most important player at Emirates, Iwobi is a crucial part of the Nigerian national side travelling to Russia later this month.
The 22-year old, who already has 16 appearances for Nigeria was only in the squad for the last two group games and has shown that he can be a genuine star for the side in Russia.
He was in and out of the squad under Arsene last season but is an exciting winger, who can make things happen for his side. Iwobi may not be the best around but will certainly be a test for the likes of Argentine and Croatian, who are drawn with Nigeria in the group stage of the competition.
#1 Granit Xhaka (Switzerland)
Up against Brazil, Costa Rica and Serbia, Switzerland have a decent chance to qualify for the knout stages this year in the World Cup but a lot will rest on a few key players in the squad. And Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka will be one of them.
The 25-year old, who already has 61 appearances for his national side, was a part of the Swiss side that was knocked out of the last 16 to Argentina in the last edition and he will hope to put in a better performance and take his side all the way, this time around.
The Swiss side will rely on his ability to manoeuvre the ball from the middle of the park.