Arsenal close in on head doctor signing as Rogers addresses Gunners transfer links

Arsenal are on the verge of completing their first piece of summer business, with former Aston Villa head doctor Arnaldo Abrantes set to join the club’s medical department in July, according to The Athletic. Separately, Villa and England midfielder Morgan Rogers has broken his silence on the speculation linking him with a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal’s new head doctor

Abrantes, 39, will replace Dr Zafar Iqbal, who departed after two years at Arsenal. The former Olympic sprinter — who represented Portugal at the 2008 Beijing Games before being eliminated in the opening rounds — spent three years as head of performance at Nottingham Forest before moving to Aston Villa, where he worked until the end of this season.

His appointment marks the third medical professional to move from Villa to Arsenal in recent months, and comes at a time when the Gunners are actively looking to reduce the injury disruption that hampered their title defence. Captain Martin Odegaard was restricted to just 16 Premier League starts last season, while Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber also spent significant spells on the sidelines.

Manager Mikel Arteta has long emphasised squad availability as a competitive advantage, and strengthening the medical department is seen as one avenue through which Arsenal can close the margins on their rivals over the course of a campaign.

Rogers on living with transfer speculation

Morgan Rogers, who is currently on World Cup 2026 duty with England, has addressed the persistent rumours linking him with a move to Arsenal. The Aston Villa attacking midfielder told The Rest Is Football podcast that early in his career the attention had affected him on the pitch.

“I think the first time it ever happened it was,” Rogers said when asked whether transfer speculation had impacted his performances. “You’re in an uncomfortable spot of not realising that people have so much interest in you and you’re not quite realising that. But as you get older and gain experience along the way, you” — the midfielder indicated the noise becomes easier to manage with maturity.

Rogers has emerged as one of the more eye-catching players in the Premier League this season, and his comments suggest he is now better equipped to handle the scrutiny that comes with interest from clubs of Arsenal’s stature.

Arteta’s rebuild is still in its early stages, but the appointment of Abrantes and the ongoing speculation around Rogers signal that the Gunners’ summer is beginning to take shape.