Arsenal overhaul backroom staff after first Premier League title in 22 years

Arsenal are parting ways with two senior backroom figures as Mikel Arteta’s club reshapes its medical and performance staff in the wake of their first Premier League title in 22 years.

Lead performance coach Sam Wilson is set to leave after a 12-year association with the club, according to the BBC. Wilson joined Arsenal in 2014 and has worked directly with the first team for the past seven years. He is expected to move into a more senior role at another club.

Head of sports medicine Dr. Zafar Iqbal has also departed. The BBC reports he was informed of the decision shortly after Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, and the club is now searching for his replacement.

Arsenal are understood to be close to appointing Portuguese specialist Arnaldo Abrantes as the new head of sports medicine. Abrantes has previously held roles at Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

The club is also bringing in Real Betis rehabilitation specialist Eneko Angulo, who spent 12 years with the Spanish club across two separate spells. Angulo confirmed his departure from Betis in an emotional social media post, describing it as a personal rather than professional decision driven by a desire to be closer to his family in Valencia.

“I’m leaving my home, Real Betis Balompié, where I’ve grown both personally and professionally over 12 years,” Angulo wrote. “It’s a sad day because of everything I’m leaving behind: friends, hard work, dedication, and countless memories.”

The restructuring follows a significant injury burden that affected Arsenal across the past two campaigns. Defender Jurrien Timber was among those unable to feature in the Champions League final, underlining the scale of the problem that prompted the review of the medical and performance departments at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.

The changes signal that Arsenal’s title success has not shielded the backroom setup from scrutiny, with the club determined to address the physical availability issues that complicated an otherwise historic season.