Arsenal release 25-man Champions League squad with huge summer transfer LEFT OUT as fans say ‘group stage exit loading’
ARSENAL have released their 25-man squad for the Champions League group stages – but one big-money summer signing is missing.
The Gunners secured a return to Europe’s biggest stage after a six-year absence after finishing runners-up in last season’s Premier League.
Mikel Arteta’s side begin their Champions League campaign with a home tie against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday 20 September.
French club Lens and LaLiga’s Sevilla have also been drawn in the same group as excitement starts to mount around the Emirates.
Now Arsenal have confirmed the list of players that they have submitted to Uefa that will be available to them for the opening batch of fixtures as they look to push through into the knockout stages.
Summer signings Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and David Raya are all included in the squad.
But Netherlands international full-back Jurrien Timber misses out.
The 22-year-old, a £40m arrival from Ajax, agonisingly damaged his anterior cruciate ligament last month against Nottingham Forest and is set to be sidelined until the new year.
After being unable to bring in a replacement, veteran full-back Cedric Soares and fellow defender Lino Sousa, 18, are in for him.
But it is not all doom and gloom for Timber with regards to his hopes of appearing in the Champions League Final at Wembley on June 1.
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He can and will almost certainly be added to the squad in January should the North London side make it through to the knockout stage should he suffer no setbacks.
Changes to the squad can be made before the round of 16 in February with teams able to register a maximum of three new players, such as new signings or previously injured players, but the overall limit will remain at 25.
Once the full list of names was revealed, some rival supporters could not resist poking fun at the Gooners.
“Group stage exit loading,” wrote one while another said: “They ain’t winning it.”
A fellow rival fan claimed they are “going out in the group” as another tweeted: “Direct to Europa League!”
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