Arsenal star makes surprise exit right after Real Betis loss
An Arsenal player joined another Premier League club just minutes after the Gunners lost their pre-season friendly against Real Betis.
Mikel Arteta’s team didn’t play well in front of 50,000 fans at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Betis scored three goals from Rodrigo Riquelme, Nelson Deossa, and former West Ham player Pablo Fornals, while Piero Hincapie scored once for Arsenal, leading to a 3-1 win for the La Liga side.
After the game, Arteta said his players were “fuming” about their poor performance, which included some defensive mistakes. Even though key players like Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Riccardo Calafiori, and new signing Christos Tzolis played, others like Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Mikel Merino, and David Raya were still resting after the World Cup. Captain Martin Odegaard has been training individually.
Arteta hopes the loss will push the team to do better in upcoming friendlies against Borussia Dortmund and Como, before their Community Shield match against Manchester City on August 16.
He said, “Winning is what matters, and we didn’t get that, so of course it’s disappointing. We used 25 players, so there’s some context. In the first half, with more starters on the field, we showed some great moments. But the way we competed near our goal wasn’t good enough, and there are things to fix. Sometimes a bad result can light a fire under us.”
Shortly after the match, Arsenal confirmed that midfielder Christian Norgaard had moved to Everton after just one season with the Gunners. The 32-year-old from Denmark joined the Toffees for about £7 million, a year after signing from Brentford for £15 million.
Norgaard made 20 appearances for Arsenal, including seven in the Premier League. He is Everton’s fourth signing this summer after Tyrique George, Hayden Hackney, and Merlin Rohl.
Speaking to Everton TV, Norgaard said, “There were many reasons for my move. I felt I needed a change and wanted a bigger role on the pitch. After talking with David Moyes and others at the club, I really liked what I heard about their plans. My past experience playing against Everton showed me how amazing the fans and atmosphere are, and I’m excited to be part of the team. It’s a big honor, and I’ll give my best on and off the field to represent the club.”
He added, “I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere as an Everton player. Goodison Park was electric—it literally felt like the ground was shaking. When we played at the new stadium last year, I was surprised by how great the atmosphere still was. The spirit of Goodison has definitely been carried over.”
Arsenal will start their Premier League season at home against Coventry City on August 21.