Thursday 7 July 2016 15:49, UK
Arsenal could be without Euro 2016 star Aaron Ramsey for their opening Premier League game against Liverpool.
Ramsey's performances helped take Wales to the last four in France, where suspension kept him out of the 2-0 defeat to Portugal.
The midfielder is not due back for pre-season training until the start of August which leaves him less than a fortnight to get in shape for the Reds' visit, live on Sky Sports.
"I am back on August 1, so I have a few weeks off but, obviously, it kicks off a couple of weeks afterwards," said Ramsey, quoted in the Evening Standard.
"A few years ago, Germany won the World Cup and the German players came in just a few days before the first game of the season, but they missed that.
"[Arsene Wenger] does like to give players a little break and I'll be getting the same treatment. I feel I need a few weeks off now."
Mesut Ozil, Per Meresacker and Lukas Podolski were part of the Germany team that won the World Cup in 2014, and none featured in Arsenal's first two games of the following season.
Alexis Sanchez did appear as a substitute against West Ham on the first day of last season - five weeks after helping Chile win the Copa America - but Wenger admitted at the time the player was not fully fit.