The 30-year-old French defender skippered the Gunners last term and has been chosen for the job again, ahead of potential contenders such as Cesc Fabregas.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said: “If he plays, he will be captain.

In other news

Emmanuel Adebayor has come out and stated that his ‘heart is with Arsenal’ more like his heart is with money after agreeing to a new contract with the Gunners after whinging about leaving all summer.

The 24-year-old Togo international joined Arsenal in January 2006 from Monaco and his performance last season attracted interest from Barcelona and AC Milan, but he has opted to stay with Arsene Wenger’s team.

“Now I can tell everyone that, yes, I will sign a contract,”

“I’m feeling very good here, very well here, and at the moment my heart is with Arsenal.

“I never told anyone I would be leaving this club, never ever. I’m very happy we’ve found a solution.

“I have three years left on my contract and I’m putting two or three years more, so I’m very happy being part of this family.”

Adebayor said his relationship with manager Wenger was a key to his desire to stay in London.

“When we started talking about my contract I never told him I’d be leaving this club and he knew my desire,” said Adebayor.

“My desire was to stay at this club so for me he’s like my father, he’s my boss so whatever he tells me I’ll do it, so our relationship at the moment is always strong.

“There is no doubt about that.”

Adebayor better score some goals otherwise no Arsenal fan is going to want to applord him. Go Robin Van Persie, Theo Walcott and Bendhtner at least you seem to care about the team more than cash.

Fabregas was a key member of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008 and according to a report last weekend in Spanish sports newspaper Marca he was quoted as saying he might move to the Bernabeu, especially if Arsenal did not win a trophy this season.

But in a statement the 21-year-old told Arsenal’s official website on Monday: “I have not spoken to any media so it’s frustrating to read quotes that I have supposedly said about my future

“I have spent the summer relaxing with my family, friends and girlfriend and I return to training with Arsenal tomorrow (Tuesday).

“I think that some people are just trying to make mischief but my intentions are very clear.

“I am happy here at Arsenal, my future is with Arsenal and the priority is to achieve success and win trophies at Arsenal.”

Bischoff was born in France but has represented Portugal at under 21 level a common thing in the modern game. Amaury has played at SR Colmar and Strasbourg in France before moving to Werder Bremen in 2005.

Bischoff is looking like an ideal replacement for all the midfielders who have left the Gunners in the summer. He can play in the middle and on the right of midfield with a proven record of this at Werder Bremen but only at youth level with only one senior appearance to his name.

Amaury will wear number 28 for Arsenal and will join the squad after the camp in Austria but was he a good and worthy transfer?

Arsene Wenger has already raised questions about his own transfer labelling it as a “gamble” with Bischoff recovering from surgery with a first-team game “two or three months” away.

Post match comments after a pre season friendly about the signing:

“Amaury is a young, promising player who we have taken a gamble on because he has been out for a long time,” said Wenger. “We have to get him to a very good [fitness] level.

“He has talent but we’ll have to wait two or three months to get him competitive. He has had two surgeries on his groin so it is a gamble on his talent.”

So at a time when Arsenal should be finding experienced campaigners or stars to fill the holes in the midfield they go for a risky young player who is yet to prove himself.

Arsenal are meant to be competing for the title but havn’t made the signings to strenghten the team apparently because they have to pay off their stadium bill.

On the plus side lets hope Van Persies return is good an Arsenal have a nice win over West Brom (less then 3 weeks to the EPL).

The 24-year-old sees this season as “a new season with new chances”.

The young striker had a record of 22 goals in 45 games over the past two years and will really be an asset if he can stay fit.

“Last year I missed too many games and I am still disappointed about it,” said the Dutchman. “But that is life. That is football and things can happen. I accepted it.

“This is a new year with new chances. Hopefully I can be injury-free this year. Last year I played 16 games and scored seven goals — that is nearly one out of two. It is not too bad.

“I just want to have the same results this season with a few more matches.”

All Arsenal fans will be hoping that Van Persie can start the season strong and really boost Arsenal’s strike force for a long period of time.

In the 2007/08 season Sagna developed quickly and became one of the fan favourites with his performances in defence and attack.

He now wants to make sure that he doesn’t suffer ’second season blues’ and help the Gunners win trophies.

A few comments on last season and the new season:

“When I arrived people told me that the first season would be very difficult and you had to adapt. But why wait? Why not play straight away?

“I just tried to do my best for the team and I was voted the best right back in the Premier League. But now I would like to achieve other things. Why not lift a cup?

“I know I have to confirm [my first-season form] but I feel confident and good in this team. I want to do a lot of things. I want to score and be more decisive now. I will try to do it.

“I couldn’t imagine the first season going any better. I did not know anything about English football when I arrived, only what I saw on TV.

“But I was not scared and adapted very quickly because of my team-mates and work of the staff.

“Everything was good for the first season and I thank the people who helped me. But now I want to fulfil more of my ambitions.”

Nicklas Bendtner along with everyone else at Arsenal wants goals, games and glistering silverware this season.

The young Danish striker has played in both of the pre-season matches and has continued his progress from last season.

Bendtner joined the main squad for the first time last season and showed much promise at only 20 years of age, He bagged nine goals in 17 starts plus 23 appearances from the bench.

A few comments about his own future this coming season:

“I know everybody talks about winning things,” “But that is what it is all about this year. I want to try and take a trophy home.

“I do set myself targets [in pre-season]. The main thing for everyone I think is to play a lot and of course I want to get more regularly into the squad.

“Then I want to progress in my own game. I want to prove to everyone what I can do.”

Bendtner improved greatly last year but he didn’t seem to be totally up to the level, an example would be the champions league game where he got in the way of a goal just a little bit more experience and knowledge could help him alot.

Wenger is using the young talent even if they arn’t quite up to the level but it won’t matter if they manage to bring home a trophy.

The 17-year-old Welshman made his Arsenal debut against Barnet and is likely to feature in their next pre-season match.

Here is Wengers comments:

“He is in my plans,” said Wenger. “But like all the other players, it depends on their performances and quality. You could see [at Barnet] that some young players will be very close to the first team.

“The boy chose us because, as a young player, he thought he had a good opportunity to play. He will get an opportunity when he is judged to be ready. But he knows there is a lot of competition.”

Touré was immediately sent to hospital in Vienna after the club’s medical staff had noticed something. Touré is highly unlikely to suffer any long-term effects but the recovery will take two weeks to a month.

Malaria is extremely common in Africa other Premier League Stars have returned to England with the diesese. Lets hope the recovery is quick and Arsenal can get one of their better defenders back into action.

“Adebayor is a player of Arsenal. I am very confident he will stay,” Wenger told BBC London.

Wenger is fully confident of making another signing and is looking for a maximum of 2 after already transfering 3 players out of Arsenal (Mathieu Flamini, Alexander Hleb and Gilberto) and transfering 2 into Arsenal (Samir Nasri and Aaron Ramsey).

The young Aaron Ramsey made his Arsenal debut in a 2-1 pre-season friendly win against Barnet. Jay Simpson and Nacer Barazite gave the Gunners a 1 goal win with Kenny Gillet scoring for Barnet.

Post match Wenger suggested 17 year-old Ramsey and the other young players in the Arsenal squad may well have a key role this season.

“Ramsey did OK. He looked a bit tired because he works very hard, of course it’s a big change for him, but he did OK,” said Wenger.

“He is in the plans like all the players today. It depends on the performances and their quality and you could see that some young players could be very close to the first team.”

“We had two departures (last week) but two players came in so, number wise, we are level.”

Lets hope the Gunners get those extra 2 signatures picking from Asharvin, G.Barry and X.Alonso.

Togo striker Adebayor, who finished top scorer for the Gunners last season with 30 goals, has made it clear through comments in the media that he wants an improved deal.

But Wenger clearly has no intention of letting Arsenal be held to ransom over excessive wage demands from any of his players.

After watching Arsenal’s 2-1 pre-season friendly win over Barnet, Wenger told Sky Sports News: “Adebayor is under contract and we expect him to turn up on Monday and practice with us.”

Arsenal head off for their pre-season training camp in Austria at the end of this month and will return for the Emirates Cup - hosting Juventus and Real Madrid, as well Hamburg under former Tottenham manager Martin Jol.

The Gunners will complete their preparations for the new season with an appearance at the Amsterdam Tournament ahead of the UEFA Champions League qualifier on August 12/13.