Mikel Arteta angers Arsenal starlet by leaving him out of pre-season tour squad

Marcelo Flores is reportedly unhappy that he has been left out of Arsenal's pre-season tour to the United States with the Gunners set to play three friendlies.

Mikel Arteta's side flew out to Baltimore on Thursday to continue preparations for their Premier League opening weekend trip to Crystal Palace. They will face Everton, Orlando City and Chelsea during their tour of the States.

However, the squad has raised a few eyebrows. Midfielder Thomas Partey is in the travelling group having missed last week's trip to Germany, where they defeated Nurnberg in a friendly on Friday, while goalkeeper Bernd Leno has been included despite being close to a £10m switch to Fulham.

Folarin Balogun, who is seeking a loan move having spent the second half of last season at Middlesbrough, will also travel to America in addition to academy product Reuell Walters, plus new signings Fabio Vieira and Gabriel Jesus.

Granit Xhaka has been named in the squad amid speculation about his Covid-19 vaccination status. The US has barred unvaccinated travellers from entering the country and the Switzerland FA announced last year that Xhaka had refused a Covid-19 vaccine.

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But Flores is someone who has not been named in the 33-man contingent and La Opinion claim his exclusion from the pre-season tour has not gone down well, particularly as he believed he would be part of the squad. The 18-year-old was invited to be part of Mexico's squad for their Under-20 World Cup qualification matches, but Arsenal blocked his participation and claimed the reason was because of the Gunners' trip to the USA.

Flores has impressed for both club and country over the past year and would have been expected to play in the Concacaf Under-20 quarter-final against Guatemala, a match Mexico lost on penalties. He has neither represented his country in the Under-20 tournament nor was he selected for the pre-season tour, creating a degree of confusion.

Several fringe members of the squad, including full back Hector Bellerin, are likely to feature despite being expected to move on from the club before the transfer widow closes on September 1. Leno, who was relegated to second choice following the arrival of Aaron Ramsdale last season, is close to sealing a move to Craven Cottage in which he will become newly-promoted Fulham's first choice.