DECLAN RICE was all smiles as he returned for his first Arsenal training session since the Euro 2024 final.
The 25-year-old Gunners midfielder has joined English colleagues Bukayo Saka and Aaron Ramsdale at London Colney.
French centre-back William Saliba was also in action for the first time since the summer football festival.
The quartet took an extended break following a busy Euro 2024 tournament – which began four weeks after the Premier League season ended.
Saliba took a well-deserved break in Sardinia with his girlfriend Sandra Shehab after playing every minute of Arsenal’s Prem campaign, in which they fell woefully short to Manchester City – again.
While Rice was pictured partying in Ibiza with Ivan Toney and Luke Shaw days after England’s Euro final heartbreak.
Rice and Saka started every game for the Three Lions, while Saliba played the full 90 games in every French game.
Goalkeeper Ramsdale was not given any minutes under Gareth Southgate but trained alongside Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson.
Only Saka and Rice took part in England’s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final, but all players had time off.
France failed to live up to expectations and were eliminated from the semi-finals after a 2-1 defeat to Spain.
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It meant all four missed Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the United States, meaning they were unable to release Emile Smith Rowe, who left midway for Fulham.
The summer warm-up games were a mixed bag for Mikel Arteta, with Arsenal winning, losing and drawing one each.
They drew 1-1 with Bournemouth but beat Manchester United 2-1 in Los Angeles before losing in a penalty shootout to the latter.
The Gunners’ last game across the pond saw them lose to Liverpool 2-1 thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho.
Arsenal will face Bayer Leverkusen on August 7th at the Emirates Stadium.
But this could happen too soon for Saka, Saliba, Rice and Ramsdale.
Before starting the Premier League campaign against Wolves at home on August 17th.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story