Arsenal face mounting questions over the decision to cut up to 60 jobs from their permanent workforce, with manager Mikel Arteta stepping forward on Friday to justify a move that has landed awkwardly just one week after the announcement of his own lucrative new deal.
Chief executive Richard Garlick informed staff on Wednesday morning that positions across several off-field departments are at risk following a workforce review conducted by management consultants Boston Consulting Group. The process was already under way before Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions in May.
The club employs a permanent workforce of 871 staff and also uses an average of just under 1,500 temporary workers each month. The planned redundancies represent up to 7% of the permanent headcount, though Arsenal have indicated they hope to reduce that figure by redeploying affected employees wherever possible. Coaching and performance staff across both the men's and women's first teams are protected, as are the academy, Arsenal Women, Arsenal in the Community, the Arsenal Foundation and site security teams. Catering and travel are understood to be among the areas included in the review.
Arteta was asked about the redundancies at a pre-match news conference and initially said the question was not one for him, before offering a fuller response. "Well, first, because this question is not for me. It was explained to me about the exercise and analysis that has been done across the club. And with the intention always to evolve, to improve. Some decisions have to be taken to put people in the right roles and keep investing to achieve what we want to achieve and the success that we want to create. So that's been explained. Obviously, I'm not the right person to answer to that question. That's for sure. And hopefully everybody will respect that." When a reporter pressed further, the club's press officer stepped in to redirect the question towards Garlick rather than the manager.
The timing of the announcement has attracted considerable attention. Arteta, who is 44, signed a four-year contract last week worth around £20 million a season — his previous salary stood at £10 million a year, with a further £5 million available in bonuses. Arsenal recorded revenues of £691 million for 2024-25, a record figure for the club, yet still posted an overall loss of £1.4 million. That extends a run of losses to seven consecutive years, with operating costs rising from £148 million in the prior year to £201 million. The club is also mindful of tightening financial regulation within the Premier League.
Arteta also addressed the omission of William Saliba from Arsenal's newly released official 2026-27 squad photograph. Saliba, who has not featured since the World Cup, was absent from the shoot because of a medical appointment. The manager confirmed the photograph will be retaken, noting that the club had already been forced to cancel earlier attempts at short notice and that commercial partners had travelled specifically for the session. On whether Saliba minded being left out, Arteta said: "It wasn't in his hands. But normally he's happy about everything. And he knows how loved he is and they were taking some banter (about it). He's completely fine."
There is an outside chance Saliba could return to action before next month's international break. Elsewhere, Martin Zubimendi is in contention for Sunday's trip to Nottingham Forest despite sustaining an ankle injury in training after last weekend's home win over Leeds, while Piero Hincapie, who suffered a similar problem in the same session, will not be available.
Reporting: The Sun, Daily Mail, BBC Sport, Evening Standard, The Guardian, Mirror, RTÉ.