Arsenal appoint former Olympic sprinter Abrantes as head doctor after shock Iqbal sacking

Arsenal have made their first off-pitch move of the summer by appointing former Olympic sprinter Arnaldo Abrantes as head doctor, according to reports from Sam Wallace of the Telegraph and David Ornstein of The Athletic, following the unexpected sacking of Zafar Iqbal.

Iqbal had been in the role for two years, taking over from Gary O’Driscoll after he departed for Manchester United in 2024. The BBC’s Sami Mokbel described Iqbal as “highly respected throughout football”, adding that “the decision came unexpectedly”. Abrantes, a Portuguese national and former sprint athlete, is now set to take charge of the Gunners’ medical operations.

The appointment comes at a critical moment for Arsenal, who have been badly hampered by injuries across the past two seasons. Half a dozen players required surgery last term, while Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, and Martin Odegaard all missed significant periods of this campaign. The situation has continued into the international break, with Jurrien Timber ruled out of the World Cup by the Netherlands after failing to recover from a groin injury, and William Saliba listed as a doubt for France’s group-stage fixtures.

Saka himself remains in recovery from the injury that kept him out of March’s internationals, with England head coach Thomas Tuchel recently addressing the winger’s fitness ahead of the tournament.

The medical reshuffle is part of a broader summer overhaul at the Emirates. Manager Mikel Arteta guided Arsenal to the Premier League title this season — their first in over two decades — before the club fell to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in the Champions League final in Budapest. Despite that near-miss in Europe, the mood around the club is one of momentum, with owner Stan Kroenke attending the title celebrations in London and the KSE ownership signalling further investment.

On the transfer front, FourFourTwo understands Arsenal are targeting a new right-back, a midfielder, and a left-winger this summer as Arteta bids to become the first Arsenal manager to retain the league title since the 1930s. The club is also revamping its Hale End academy following Per Mertesacker’s recent departure from his role overseeing the youth setup.

Pre-season fixtures remain limited so far, with a friendly against Real Betis and a Community Shield clash with Manchester City in Cardiff the only confirmed dates on the calendar.