Arsene Wenger says Arsenal's World Cup winning trio will not be ready to play in Arsenal's first game of the Premier League season.
Germany internationals Mesut Ozil, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker are due to return to training on Monday, five days before the Gunners take on Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium.
Wenger, who confirmed his Community Shield squad will be similar to last weekend's Emirates Cup line-up, says the German trio will only reintegrate with the squad when they are completely ready.
"You get them back very quickly and you lose them in October, or you give them a needed rest to build them up again"
"It's not ideal but the final of the World Cup was on July 13 and when they went back to Germany, they lost a few days for celebrations," said Wenger.
"They played seven games at the World Cup [in addition to] the whole English season. Having the experience of a team that has won the World Cup [always] makes it difficult mentally to come back and be sharp and hungry straight away again.
"You have the choice - you get them back very quickly and you lose them in October, or you give them a needed rest to build them up again.
"They have an individual programme that they follow so they could be very quick."
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