It’s the summer holidays here in the UK – but for most football players, there’s no such thing as a break.
With less than a month to go until the Premier League starts on 12 August, pre-season is already well underway.
Managers are busy putting the finishing touches to their training squads with plenty of incomings and outgoings expected over the course of the next few weeks.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur will all try to close the gap to Manchester City who romped to the title last season with three games to spare.
Here’s our handy guide to every ‘Big Six’ club’s pre-season schedule, including a full list of fixtures, locations, and kick-off times.
Arsenal have returned to the United States in a repeat of last season’s pre-season tour as they aim to mimic the success of their excellent campaign on the other side of the Atlantic.
So far the Gunners have played two pre-season games against Watford and Nurnberg, both of which ended in a 1-1 draw respectively.
With record transfer signing Declan Rice finally joining the squad on Saturday, along with former Ajax star Jurien Timber, Mikel Arteta will hope to smoothly integrate the new signings into the squad in order to start the season in the same manner as the previous one.
Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures and results
All times BST
- 8 July: Arsenal 1-1 Watford, Colney training base, London, kick-off N/A
- 13 July: Nurnberg 1-1 Arsenal, Max-Morlock-Stadium, Nurnberg, 6pm kick-off
- 20 July: MLS All-Stars vs Arsenal, Audi Field, Washington DC, 1:30am kick-off
- 22 July: Arsenal vs Man Utd, MetLife Stadium, New York, 10pm kick-off
- 26 July: Arsenal vs Barcelona, SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, kick-off TBC
- 2 August: Arsenal vs Monaco, Emirates Stadium, London, 6pm kick-off
United will also join Arsenal in the US but before that they will travel to Edinburgh to face Lyon on Wednesday.
The Red Devils kicked off their pre-season campaign last week with a 2-0 win over Leeds United in Copenhagen featuring new signing Mason Mount.
As Andre Onana edges closer to a reunion with Erik ten Hag there is also hope the club will sign a new striker before the transfer window closes in two months’ time.
Man Utd’s pre-season fixtures and results
All times BST
- 12 July: Man Utd 2-0 Leeds, Ullevaal Stadium, Copenhagen, 4pm kick-off
- 19 July: Man Utd vs Lyon, Murrayfield, Edinburgh, 2pm kick-off
- 22 July: Man Utd vs Arsenal, MetLife Stadium, New York, 10pm kick-off
- 25 July: Man Utd vs Wrexham, Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, 3.30am kick-off
- 26 July: Manchester United vs Real Madrid, NGR Stadium, Houston, 12am kick-off
- 30 July: Manchester United vs Borussia Dortmund, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, 2am
- 5 August: Manchester United v Lens, Old Trafford, Manchester, 4pm kick-off
- 6 August: Manchester United v Athletic Bilbao, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 4pm kick-off
City on the other hand will tour Asia for the first time since 2019 when they pay a visit to Japan and South Korea.
Pep Guardiola’s side are in need of some match fitness after celebrating a historic European Treble before their first competitive game of the season against Arsenal in the Community Shield.
New recruit Mateo Kovacic will also see this as an opportunity to bond with his teammates having signed from Chelsea for £25m in June.
Man City’s pre-season fixtures and results
All times BST
- 23 July: Man City v Yokohama F Marinos, Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, 12am kick-off
- 26 July: Man City v Bayern Munich, Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, 11.30pm kick-off
- 30 July: Man City v Atletico Madrid, Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, 12.30am kick-off
Ange Postecoglou is taking his Tottenham squad Down Under for their pre-season tour this summer with the Australian grateful to be back on home soil.
It presents a new chapter for Spurs as Postecoglou is the complete opposite to previous coaches like Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho in terms of tactics at least.
To help execute his ideas three new signings have come through the door with fans most excited to see James Maddison as one of the eights or even on the wing.
Tottenham’s pre-season fixtures and results
All times BST
- 18 July: Tottenham vs West Ham, Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia, 12am kick-off
- 23 July: Tottenham vs Leicester, Rajamangala National Stadium, Bangkok, 11pm kick-off
- 26 July: Tottenham vs AS Roma, Singapore National Stadium, Singapore, 12.30am kick-off
Meanwhile Chelsea will also make the trip to the US as part of their preparations for the 2023-24 season this summer.
Mauricio Pochettino has already started to put his own stamp on the squad, with the likes of Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic having recently left Stamford Bridge.
Having suffered from having too many players on their books the previous season, whether they have learned their lesson remains to be seen.
Chelsea’s pre-season fixtures and results
All times BST
- 19 July: Chelsea vs Wrexham, Kenan Memorial Stadium, Chapel Hill, 12.30am kick-off
- 22 July: Chelsea vs Brighton, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, 12am kick-off
- 26 July: Chelsea vs Newcastle, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, 10.30pm kick-off
- 30 July: Chelsea vs Fulham, FedEx Field, Landover, 12am kick-off
- 2 August: Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund, Soldier Field, Chicago, 12.30am kick-off
Finally, Liverpool will head to Germany for a training camp, followed by a short trip to Singapore.
There they will face Leicester City at the National Stadium before taking on German champions Bayern Munich.
Following a flying visit to the Far East, Jurgen Klopp‘s side will wrap up their pre-season in a clash against newly-promoted Bundesliga side Darmstadt 98 on 7 August at Deepdale Stadium, the home of Preston North End.
Liverpool’s pre-season fixtures and results
All times BST
- 19 July: Karlsruher vs Liverpool, BBBank Wildpark, Karlsruhe, 5.30pm kick-off
- 24 July: Furth vs Liverpool, Furth, Bavaria, 12pm kick-off
- 30 July: Liverpool vs Leicester, The National Stadium, Singapore, 10am kick-off
- 2 August: Liverpool vs Bayern Munich, The National Stadium, Singapore, 12.30pm kick-off
- 7 August: Liverpool vs Darmstadt 98, Deepdale Stadium, Preston, 7pm kick-off
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