Arsenal’s manager Arsene Wenger will probably not relish a trip to Australia (Picture: AP Photo)

If Arsene Wenger wasn’t best pleased with the club’s trip to New York this summer then he is unlikely to be doing a happy dance at this suggestion.

Apparently the Gunners could be set to take his side to the other side of the world next summer to take part in a tournament with Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona in Australia.

Having travelled to New Zealand this summer myself the jet-lag is not something you’d encourage anyone who had to play competitive football as soon as they returned home to try.

Part of the reason Wenger has avoided travelling long distances during pre-season during his time as Arsenal manager has been for exactly that reason – preseason is about getting players ready for the new season and travelling around the globe is far from the ideal way to do that.


The tournament is being organised by the Victorian Major Events Company who have already held talks with Real Madrid regarding games which would take place at the MCG next July and Arsenal are said to be on their list of other teams they want to take part.



It would be the same tournament as the one which took place this summer in America, the International Champions Cup, which was won by Manchester United who defeated Liverpool 3-1 in the final which was held in Miami.

Football is, of course, a global game and Australia and New Zealand are two of the last countries on the planet to really catch the football bug, the popularity of the sport coming well below others such as cricket and rugby. The event, which would no doubt expand Arsenal’s global fanbase would have to be weighed against the negative impact that it would have on the squad for the rest of the pre-season.

It will certainly be interesting to see if Wenger opts to take up the invite or if he shuns the commercial opportunity to properly prepare his squad for the new season.

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