Mikel Arteta concerned over a potential FA Cup replay as he plans mini pre-season

The last thing Mikel Areta needs is an FA Cup replay.

Mikel Arteta has admitted that if Arsenal fails to finish off their FA Cup game against Bournemouth and force a replay it could ruin their plans for the winter break.

The Premier League’s winter break comes up after the upcoming weekend league games with the Gunners given the chance to have a two weeks break.

The club has been planning to go on a warm-weather training camp in either Southern Europe or Dubai.

However, if Arsenal fails to beat Bournemouth today and a replay is required, the game would be replayed within their winter break and Arteta has admitted that it would affect their plans.

The other issue that could stop Arsenal from going for a warm-weather training camp is the security issues in the middle east with Iran and the USA causing uncertainty in the region.

However, nothing can be finalised until the club’s FA Cup fate is determined and Arteta said per the Standard: “It depends on the result and on the security issue as well. Ideally if we can, if we have the days, I would like to go somewhere and live together a little bit and put some training sessions together.

“That is the ideal scenario. We win the game, we go to the winter break and we have a long bunch of days to work. We have a lot of things that we need to be doing. We cannot control that but obviously our focus and aim is going to be to win the game.

“[If not], we would need to adjust, reschedule again and go through it. I know it is a possibility so all the planning we are doing is having both options in mind.”