Atalanta have signed Italy forward Mateo Retegui on a four-year contract from fellow Serie A club Genoa, the Europa League champions announced on Thursday.

No details of the deal were disclosed, though reports suggest it was worth around €28million.

In his one season at Genoa, he made 31 appearances in all competitions, netting nine goals and registering three assists.

The Argentinian-born 25-year-old has played 12 international matches since his debut in 2023, including all four of Italy's matches during the recent European Championship.

The signing of Retegui will be a welcome addition for coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who conceded earlier on Thursday that his side are less competitive now than they were just a few months ago.

Retegui will likely take over the role in the front line from Gianluca Scamacca, who will be out of action for at least six months after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

Midfielder Manu Trigueros has left Villarreal to join Spanish second-tier side Granada on a two-year contract, the club announced on Thursday.

The 32-year-old holds the record for the most appearances for Villarreal in LaLiga, having played 477 such matches for the club, making his debut back in 2012.

He scored 38 goals and registered 39 assists in his 12-year tenure with their first team, having previously represented Villarreal C and Villarreal B.

Trigueros won the Europa League with the Yellow Submarine in 2021 and also helped his side reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in 2022.

"We thank Trigueros for his commitment, dedication and professionalism in a long and successful career," Villarreal said in a statement.

"We wish him the best of luck in his new professional stage. This will always be your home."

Raheem Sterling says playing for England is "one of the best feelings you can ever have", admitting he misses representing his national side.

The winger last played for England in the 2022 World Cup, coming off the bench in their 2-1 quarter-final defeat to France.

Since then, he has failed to make the last seven squads in a row, including the party for Euro 2024 which saw the Three Lions reach a second consecutive European Championship final.

Gareth Southgate resigned following their defeat to Spain in that final, with Under-21 boss Lee Carsley expected to be in charge for the upcoming Nations League matches in September, with no permanent successor appointed yet.

Sterling, who has earned 82 caps for England since making his debut in 2012, admitted he misses representing his country and is hopeful of regaining his place soon.

"Of course [I miss it], I love playing for England. It is one of the best feelings you can ever have," Sterling said.

"To see the boys out there brought me joy. To be honest, they were the only games I watched - the England ones. I love playing for England.

"I am looking forward to getting back in the England set-up, that is for sure."

Sterling was told by then-manager Southgate earlier this year that he faced a fight to regain his place due to Chelsea's underachievement in the last two seasons since he joined from Manchester City.

Under new manager Enzo Maresca, the 30-year-old played in all five of their pre-season friendlies, scoring once and assisting once, and he is hoping the Italian will be key to getting back to top form.

"[Maresca can get the] best out of me, the best out of the team," he added. "He has come in and stamped his authority, the way he wants to play.

"Yes, some of the results haven't been pleasing but, with the ball, the right information is getting passed on. You can see the patterns coming through.

"It is early days so you can see where we're looking to go. It is a learning process for the whole group and one we are grasping really quickly.

"The Premier League is coming along very soon, so I do think there are good times ahead."

Europa League winners Atalanta are significantly less competitive at the moment compared to just a few months ago, coach Gian Piero Gasperini conceded.

Gasperini led Atalanta to victory in the Europa League final in May with a 3-0 win against Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin, having impressively knocked out Liverpool at the quarter-final stage.

His side are set to face Champions League winners Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup in Warsaw on Wednesday, but Gasperini warned fans of the Bergamo club not to expect a strong start to the season.

"It's inevitable that it's turned out like this, but at this moment, the season has already become complicated," he told the local newspaper, l'Eco di Bergamo.

The 66-year-old coach confirmed that central midfielder Teun Koopmeiners is set to join Juventus and is no longer training with the first team.

"We've had two very serious injuries, two cruciate ligaments in practically three games with [Giorgio] Scalvini and [Gianluca] Scamaccama, and then the Koopmeiners situation.

"Three technically gifted and economically valuable players for the team and club."

However, Gasperini was hopeful new recruits would be found before the end of the transfer window.

"Honestly, I'd hoped to find myself going into a game as important as the European Super Cup with more of a defined and settled team, having improved with new additions after the Europa League final victory," he said.

"But instead, at this moment, we are down to the minimum, even if I am sure that the club will provide in some way before the end of August."

Atalanta start the Serie A season at Lecce on August 19.

A new chapter for Jamaica’s football was confirmed on Thursday as new Reggae Boyz Head Coach, Stephen McClaren, was officially introduced at the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) headquarters in Kingston.

McClaren was announced as the new Head Coach of the Jamaica Men’s Senior National team last week, replacing former head man Heimir Hallgrimsson, who has since taken up the position of Head Coach of Ireland.

The 63-year-old, who has 35 years of managerial experience with clubs like Middlesbrough, FC Twente with whom he won the Dutch Eredivisie in 2009-2010, Newcastle United and Manchester United who he left to take up this job.

The Fulford-born McClaren also has experience at the international level, serving in the roles of coach and assistant manager for England from 2000-2007.

He has signed on as Head Coach for Jamaica for the next 18 months, with his main objective being to lead the Caribbean Island nation to the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be hosted jointly by the USA, Canada and Mexico. Jamaica’s only previous trip to a World Cup was back in 1998.

“The moment I got on the plane to come over yesterday, through the airport, at the hotel and coming to meet the staff this morning, I’ve had a real warm welcome and a really good feeling about coming here and taking this job with the vision of the World Cup in 2026,” McClaren said at Thursday’s press conference.

McClaren first became aware of Jamaica during his stint as a technical expert for FIFA analyzing the FIFA ecosystem.

“I always knew that this country had unbelievable potential and talent because I was technical expert for FIFA for two years working on the ecosystem which really analyzed every country in the world. We analyzed 210 countries. I analyzed about 20 of which Jamaica was one of them,” he said.

“After doing the analysis and the report three years ago, Jamaica has always been in the back of my mind because it was the one country in which the potential and talent is here and there is such a lot to do. What I’ve seen over the last two years is unbelievable development. It’s my job now to take the baton and carry that on,” McClaren added.

One of the main questions posed to McClaren during Thursday’s proceeding was the fact that he left a club like Manchester United to come and coach Jamaica, a third world country.

McClaren insists that resources are not the main drivers to success of national teams.

“It’s not about resources. It’s about people, it’s about behaviors and it’s about standards. They are the three main things that will be targeted. We might not have the greatest resources but it’s the people, commitment, standards and behaviours that will make the difference that we are all here to work towards,” he said.

President of the JFF, Michael Ricketts, is excited for the future of the National Team under McClaren’s leadership.

“When you think of Mr. McClaren’s achievements as a coach, it gives us reason to feel extremely optimistic. The big picture here is the 2026 World Cup and coach will be charged with getting us there,” he said.

Chairman of the JFF Technical Committee, Rudolph Speid, commented about the process of hiring McClaren.

“We got people from all over the world but at the end of the day it was always going to be one coach. He literally ticked all the boxes,” he said.

“It was a no-brainer to choose him,” he added.

McClaren’s first assignment will be a CONCACAF Nations League clash with Cuba on September 6.

Morocco claimed a first Olympic medal at the eighth time of asking as they swept aside Egypt 6-0 at the Stade de la Beaujoire on Thursday. 

Abde Ezzalzouli and Soufiane Rahimi impressed for the Atlas Lions, with their first half goals sending Tarik Sektioui's on their way to a podium finish at the Games. 

Bilal El Khannouss, Rahimi, Akram Nakach and a stunning free-kick from captain Achraf Hakimi would add further gloss to an impressive display after the break. 

Morocco got off to an excellent start through Ezzalzouli's curling effort from outside the box, as Rahimi added a second three minutes later with a powerful header. 

The result was put beyond doubt when El Khannouss notched Morocco's third, with Rahimi netting his sixth goal of the tournament just after the hour mark. 

Rahimi then turned provider to set up Nakach inside the area, with Hakimi rounding off a fine display in style with an exquisite dead ball effort from distance. 

Data Debrief: Rahimi stars in Atlas Lions' landmark triumph

12 years after their last appearance at the Olympic Games in London, Morocco returned with a bang, ending an impressive campaign with a deserved bronze medal. 

Rahimi, who plays his football in the UAE with Al Ain, has been arguably the standout player of the tournament and leads the race for the Golden Boot ahead of France's Jean-Philippe Mateta and Spain's Fermin Lopez. 

Morocco outperformed their expected goals (xG) by 4.76, with Rahimi contributing 0.82 to their xG total (1.24), while also registering the most shots on target (two) and touches in the opposition box (seven). 

Martin Zubimendi has been named in Real Sociedad's squad for their final pre-season friendly versus Union Berlin, despite being strongly linked with a move to Liverpool.

La Real travel to the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei to face Union on Friday, as they work towards their opening match in La Liga versus Rayo Vallecano on August 18.

Star midfielder Zubimendi has a £51million buyout clause in his contract and has been strongly linked with an exit in recent weeks, with Liverpool reportedly showing an interest.

The Reds are the only Premier League side yet to make a signing ahead of the 2024-25 season, which will be their first campaign under former Feyenoord boss Arne Slot.

Reports have suggested Liverpool are keen to negotiate a lower transfer fee for the Spain international, though La Real are thought unlikely to budge on their valuation.

Despite suggestions negotiations could move quickly, Zubimendi is in line to take to the field on Friday, as La Real prepare for their sixth full season under Imanol Alguacil.

Portugal defender Pepe has confirmed he will retire from professional football after a glittering 23-year career. 

The 41-year-old played 878 times for club and country, winning 34 trophies along the way, with much of his success coming during his time with Real Madrid. 

Having made his name with Porto, Pepe completed a move to the Bernabeu in 2007 and would go on to form one of the best defensive partnerships with Sergio Ramos. 

He would win 12 honours during his decade at the Bernabeu, including three Champions League titles, before moving to Besiktas. 

Pepe would spend a season in Turkey before returning to Porto, where he would make a further 132 appearances and add another nine honours to his trophy cabinet. 

The defender would also enjoy success on the international stage, featuring in all but one of Portugal's seven games in their Euro 2016 triumph. 

Pepe was capped 141 times for his country, third on the all-time list behind Joao Moutinho (146) and Cristiano Ronaldo (212). 

He played his final ever game in Portugal's penalty shootout defeat to France at Euro 2024, having become the oldest player to ever appear in a European Championship. 

In a video shared to Instagram, Pepe said: "I want to thank God for giving me the wisdom to be able to continue my journey.

"I can't help but thank all the presidents who bet on me and believed in me. All the employees of all the clubs I've been to, they are the soul and essence.

"And of the national team. All my teammates and coaches, who helped me grow and compete every day. All the fans, who are the soul of football.

"To Jorge Mendes, to GestiFute, to my mother, who was essential in my journey by letting me fly towards my dream, which was to be a professional footballer.

"To all my friends and family, especially my wife, who was my home in my absence.

"My children for believing in me, for being a fundamental support in my life, for supporting me when I left home to play. They were the support I needed to be able to go with a clear conscience.

"I would like to thank everyone, give them a big thank you and a big hug of gratitude. Thank you all very much."

Atletico Madrid reportedly tried to cancel the transfer of Conor Gallagher, so says Valencia's sporting director Miguel Angel Corona. 

Gallagher is expected to complete his move from Chelsea imminently, ending his 16-year stay at Stamford Bridge in a deal reportedly worth €42m. 

However, Corona said that Atletico's pursuit of the England international was almost halted in an attempt to sign Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra. 

A deal had been agreed between the two La Liga clubs for the Spaniard, but the reported €25m deal fell through, allowing Gallagher's move to continue. 

“There is a maximum agreement (between clubs) on Sunday, plus it was between the president of Valencia and the maximum shareholder of Atletico Madrid,” Corona said.

"On Monday, the documentation is developed and, in the same way, it goes in parallel with the player, who is advancing in this negotiation and almost closes the agreement.

“On Wednesday, due to the delay in the return of Atletico’s documents and some comments made, a specific question was asked to Atletico’s owner, about the situation.

"Why the delay, and the answer was that they were trying to get out of the Chelsea operation and that, if they don’t succeed, they can’t face the Javi Guerra operation.

“It was the first news that we and Javi had about it, that the operations were linked, and therefore we (Valencia) got out of it because it was not a condition that was discussed on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, when there were constant WhatsApps, emails, calls, comments on clause.

"We were not informed of anything regarding the link between the two and we got out of it to protect ourselves.”

Gallagher rejected three offers of a new deal with Chelsea, with the club choosing to sell the 24-year-old this transfer window to avoid losing him on a free.  

The England international is expected to put pen to paper on a five-year contract with the 11-time La Liga champions, after captaining Chelsea to European football last year.

Gallagher made 50 appearances in all competitions under Mauricio Pochettino, scoring seven goals, and adding nine assists. 

Last season, the 24-year-old was arguably Chelsea's best performing midfielder, creating the most chances (53), winning more tackles (52) and boasting the highest pass accuracy (91.5%) when compared to Moises Caicedo and Ezno Fernandez. 

The Championship is always enthralling, and there is no reason why the 2024-25 season should be any different.

Since its rebranding in 2004, there have been 14 different winners in the second tier. Half of those former champions will be competing in the latest edition. 

Thirty-eight different teams have finished in the top six of the Championship. In that same period, the Premier League has only had 15, showing just how competitive this division is.

But of equal interest, the fight to remain in the second tier is always intriguing.

Here, we use Opta data to pick out the key storylines. 

Leeds out to rectify play-off woes

Leeds, who lost to Southampton in the play-off final, became the only team to accumulate 90 points in a season yet fail to secure promotion, with Leicester City and Ipswich Town finishing on 97 and 96 respectively. 

While the significant losses of Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray will prove to be a bitter blow, Daniel Farke still has an abundance of talent at his disposal. 

Georginio Rutter remains a Leeds player, and was a crucial part in their (ultimately doomed) promotion push, ranking eighth for the most goals and assists in the division last year (22). 

But, relegated trio Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town will pose a significant threat to Leeds' title ambitions, as they hope to return to the Premier League at the first attempt. 

All three clubs have managed to keep the majority of their squads from last season intact, with the only significant change coming in the dugout at Turf Moor. 

Scott Parker returns to management following Vincent Kompany's departure to Bayern Munich, and boasts an impressive pedigree from his time in the second tier. 

Parker has won two promotions from the Championship with Fulham and Bournemouth, triumphing in 48 of the 92 games he has managed in the division (D25 L19). 

Norwich City also look strong contenders, having finished as the Championship's fifth-highest scorers last year with 79 goals, but the loss of Gabriel Sara is significant. 

Sara's creative flair saw him produce 121 chances, only bettered by Sorba Thomas (123) and Leif Davies (125), as he finished the campaign with 13 goals and 12 assists.

Mark Robins and Coventry City will also be right in the mix after finishing in the top 10 in the last two seasons, including a memorable FA Cup run last term. 

Rooney to keep the Pilgrims afloat?

At the opposite end of the table, all eyes will be on Wayne Rooney as he embarks on his latest managerial venture, this time with Plymouth Argyle. 

Rooney endured a disastrous tenure with Birmingham City last season, winning two of his 15 games in charge (D4 L9), surviving just 83 days in the St. Andrew's dugout.

The 38-year-old has performed well in the Championship previously, though, almost keeping Derby County up during the 2021-22 season despite a 21-point deduction. 

But arriving at a side that won the second-fewest number of away games (three) and also shipped 70 goals last term, Rooney's task at Home Park is a tough one.

Rooney's former club Derby, along with Portsmouth and Oxford United, are the new boys, and they have been welcomed into the Championship with a difficult opening round of fixtures. 

While the Rams' start is slightly kinder, with an away trip to Blackburn Rovers followed by a home game against Middlesbrough, Portsmouth and Oxford were not so lucky. 

Pompey travel to Leeds for their opening encounter, and they face the three relegated Premier League sides in their opening seven fixtures. 

Oxford's 25-year wait for second-tier football sees them start at beaten play-off semi-finalists Norwich, with games against Burnley and Luton following soon after. 

Blackburn's upcoming season largely hinges on whether top scorer Sammie Szmodics remains at Ewood Park following his stellar performances in the division last year. 

Szmodics scooped the Golden Boot last season with 27 goals in 44 appearances, outperforming his expected goals (xG) by 4.6 while also creating 49 chances. 

The 28-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club and should Rovers lose his goals, it could prove to be a difficult nine months. 

Tyrhys Dolan and Arnor Sigurdsson offer a different kind of attacking threat, but the pair managed just 10 goals between them in the division last campaign. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Alfie Doughty - Luton

One of the standout performers for Luton last season was full-back Alfie Doughty, and he will be key again for the Hatters this season. 

Doughty registered two goals and eight assists and was one of many players expected to depart Kenilworth Road this transfer window, though for now he has stayed put.

The 24-year-old attempted the most crosses (340) in the Premier League, 89 of which were completed, which was the joint-highest alongside Pascal Gross.

Joe Rodon - Leeds

While Leeds have sold Summerville, Gray and Glen Kamara, they have strengthened with the arrival of one of last year's standout performers.

Joe Rodon made a loan switch from Tottenham permanent after helping Leeds keep 19 clean sheets in his 46 appearances.

The Welsh international won more aerial duels (132) than anyone in the Leeds squad last year, while 3,050 completed passes was a total only bettered by fellow defensive partner, Ethan Ampadu (3,138). 

Matt Grimes - Swansea

Matt Grimes has become a mainstay in the Swansea side after three consecutive loan spells and, under the guidance of Luke Williams, the midfielder perfectly fits the former Notts County manager's possession-based style of play.

Grimes attempted the fifth most passes in the Championship last year (3,714), completing 3,291 of those for a pass accuracy of 88.61%.

He also made 535 passes into the final third, a total only bettered by new Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson (641) during his time with Rotherham.

Macaulay Langstaff - Millwall

One player that will be looking to make his mark in the Championship this season is new Millwall striker, Macaulay Langstaff.

Signed from Notts County, Langstaff scored 28 times last season, claiming his third Golden Boot in as many years while averaging a goal every 143 minutes.

Despite underperforming his xG by 4.33 and missing the most big chances in League Two last year (29), should he be given the service, he should tally up the goals.

Jack Clarke - Sunderland

After being tipped for a move to the Premier League for much of last year, Jack Clarke could be the difference between a good season, or a great season for Sunderland.

Clarke netted 15 goals in 33 league appearances before an ankle injury halted his scoring streak, missing six games and failing to find the back of the net upon his return. 

The 23-year-old created the seventh-highest number of chances (91) in the division last season, while also completing the most dribbles (148 from 267 attempted), 47 more than Player of the Season Summerville (101).

Richarlison has revealed he rejected a move to the Saudi Pro League and wishes to stay at Tottenham for the coming season.

The Brazil international joined Spurs from Everton in a deal worth a club-record £60million in 2022, only to struggle throughout his debut season in North London.

He scored just once in 27 Premier League games in 2022-23 but enjoyed a resurgent 2023-24 under Ange Postecoglou, netting 11 times in 28 matches, only 18 of which were starts.

However, with Tottenham reportedly interested in a move for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, who has a £65m release clause in his contract, Richarlison's future has been called into question.

In an interview with ESPN Brazil, the 27-year-old revealed he received a substantial offer from an unnamed club in Saudi Arabia, but he wishes to remain in England to bolster his international aspirations.

"The money was high, but my dream is bigger," the forward said of the Saudi offer.

"There has been an offer but my dream of playing for the Brazilian Selecao and in the Premier League speaks louder."

Richarlison's 11 league goals last term came from a total of 62 shots worth 9.59 expected goals (xG), while he hit the target with 53.2% of his efforts and netted with 17.7%.

Nine of his strikes, however, came within an eight-match span between mid-December and early February. 

He only scored once in 12 league outings before that run began on December 10, and once in eight appearances after it ended on February 3, with a calf injury curtailing his season and preventing him from representing Brazil at the Copa America.

Santi Denia views Friday's Olympic gold medal match versus France as an opportunity for Spain to underline their status as European football's finest. 

La Roja have enjoyed a terrific 2024 to date, with the country's senior and under-19 sides both claiming European Championship titles last month.

Those successes came on the heels of Luis de la Fuente leading the senior team to UEFA Nations League success in 2023, and his men overcame heavyweights Croatia, Italy, Germany, France and England on their impressive run to Euro 2024 glory.

Olympic hosts France lie in wait in Friday's gold medal match at the Parc des Princes, where Denia is backing his team to bring more pride to their country.

"We are delighted that we are a benchmark in Europe and the world, it is a job that has been done for years," Denia said at Thursday's pre-match press conference.

"We have improved and continued to work, believing in a model of play and a profile of players that represent us.

"If we have been waiting for the gold medal for so many years, it is a challenge and an additional excitement."

Spain's only previous gold medal at the Olympics came on home soil at Barcelona 1992, when a team featuring the likes of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique beat Poland 3-2 in a thrilling final.

Captain Abel Ruiz, who joined Girona in June, is keen to follow in the footsteps of that legendary side.

"We are motivated, we know that the gold is something very important for the country and for us," he said.

"It is something that could be historic and for which we have fought hard, we have been in the training camp for 40 days and it is a lot of effort. We are really looking forward to the final."

Thierry Henry believes France's journey to the Olympics final has been a success, whether they finish with a gold or silver medal against Spain in Paris. 

Henry has led France to a first final at the Games since their win against Brazil in 1984, a time when he was preparing for his first senior season with Monaco's reserves.

Les Bleus entered the competition with one of the strongest teams on paper, but Henry faced a difficult task in assembling his squad.

The likes of Kylian Mbappe, Bradley Barcola and Warren Zaire-Emery were refused permission to compete in the Games by their clubs. 

However, Henry was quick to praise his group of players that have taken part in the tournament, saying his dream has already come true.

"This event is special because (in our sport) you don't think about finishing second or third, or winning a medal," Henry said. 

"So our story is a success - let's make it better.

While Henry has the opportunity to add an Olympic medal to his World Cup and European Championship successes as a player, he was keen to look at the bigger picture. 

"Did I ever think I would be part of an Olympic team? Never. I'll tell you why it's different for me," Henry said.

"I was never with my family watching me performing. When I say performing, you understand what I mean, obviously I'm not performing on the field anymore.

"But I never had my kids at a stadium looking at me with my team, being an 'actor', because when I had my kids I was almost at the end of my career.

"Maybe that's what was missing."

Mikel Arteta has said he has seen "something different" from striker Gabriel Jesus since last season, as the Brazilian impressed against Bayer Leverkusen. 

Jesus, who scored four goals in 27 Premier League appearances last term, was on target with a fine finish against the Bundesliga champions on Wednesday. 

The 27-year-old failed to score in his last 10 league appearances after returning from a knee injury, with Kai Havertz starring in the number nine position in his absence. 

However, Arteta has been impressed with Jesus' displays in pre-season, but has set his striker a challenge of becoming more consistent this year. 

"I said from day one, the first feeling when I saw him after talking to him at the end of the season is that he was something different," Arteta said.

"I could sense it. His energy was different, the way he looks is different, the way he’s moving is different. He really wants it.

"Now it’s about finding that consistency and doing it in any context, against any opponent, against any formation, any day, every three days, for 90 minutes, for 30 minutes, for 70 minutes.

"If you produce in those circumstances? It looks good."

The encounter against Xabi Alonso's side saw the return of both Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka into the first-team fold after their Euro 2024 campaign with England. 

But there was no sight of Jurrien Timber and new £42m signing Riccardo Calafiori, with Arteta able to explain their omission from the squad. 

"Jurrien had a little discomfort in his foot in the last few days and obviously, after the amount of time he’s been out, we didn’t want to take any risks with him," Arteta said. 

"In regard to Riccardo, so much happened to him in one week! He’s come into a new environment with a different methodology and different training, so we are managing him, and we want to do it slowly and in the best way possible.

"Hopefully he will be available to play some minutes on Sunday."

Arsenal conclude their pre-season preparations against Lyon this weekend ahead of their Premier League opener against Wolves at the Emirates six days later.

Arsenal continued their preparations for the new Premier League season with a convincing 4-1 triumph over Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen. 

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus gave the Gunners a comfortable advantage at half-time, with Kai Havertz adding a fourth in the second half. 

Substitute Adam Hlozek would take the shine off an otherwise impressive performance from Mikel Arteta's side late on, but Arsenal were worthy winners at the Emirates. 

A frantic start to proceedings saw Zinchenko give the hosts the lead in the eighth minute as he rifled home Havertz's cutback from the edge of the area. 

Matej Kovar was picking the ball out of his net again less than a minute later, as Leverkusen were caught playing out from the back with Trossard remaining composed to slot home. 

Another mistake from the Bundesliga champions was punished seven minutes before half-time, this time by Jesus, who saw his long-range effort evade the grasp of Kovar. 

The result was put beyond doubt just after the hour mark when the returning Bukayo Saka saw his cross deflect kindly into the path of Havertz for an easy finish. 

Xabi Alonso's side showed a glimpse of the football that saw them win 28 of their 34 league games last year, with Hlozek rounding off a fine move with a delicate chip over David Raya. 

Arsenal face Lyon in their final pre-season fixture on Sunday before starting their quest for that elusive Premier League title against Wolves six days later. 

Data Debrief: Gunners turn on the style

Arsenal impressed in their penultimate pre-season fixture against a strong Leverkusen side, with promising signs to show they can go one better this season. 

Arteta's side out-performed their expected goals (xG) by 2.6, with six of their nine shots on target, registering double the amount of touches in the box when compared to their opponents. 

Trossard was a particular standout for the Gunners, recording the most touches in the opposition box (seven) while also making the most passes in the final third (19), a total only bettered by Leverkusen's Granit Xhaka (24) and Edmond Tapsoba (21).