Arteta defends Arsenal job cuts as Premier League champions shed 60 roles

Mikel Arteta has publicly addressed Arsenal’s decision to cut 60 jobs across the club, saying he was told the redundancies are intended to help the organisation “evolve to improve” — even as the Premier League champions post record revenues of £691m for the 2024-25 season.

Chief executive Richard Garlick informed staff this week that the workforce will be reduced across several departments, affecting up to seven per cent of Arsenal’s 871 permanent employees. Playing and coaching staff in both the men’s and women’s teams will be unaffected.

“First, this question is not for me,” Arteta said at his news conference ahead of Sunday’s league match against Nottingham Forest. “It was explained to me about the exercise, and the 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 the success that we want to create.”

Arteta declined to take further questions on the matter. The 44-year-old Spaniard was last week handed a new four-year contract worth as much as £20m a season after overseeing Arsenal’s first Premier League title since 2004.

The timing of the cuts — coming within six months of that title win — has drawn scrutiny, though the club has framed the restructuring as a long-term investment in its competitive ambitions rather than a cost-cutting measure.

Elsewhere in the news conference, Arteta confirmed that Arsenal will retake their official squad photo after defender William Saliba was absent from the image released on Thursday. The France international, who was central to last season’s title triumph, is currently sidelined with a back problem and missed the shoot due to a medical appointment.

“We have tried to do that picture three times already,” Arteta explained. “We had to cancel it at the last minute for different reasons. We’ll have another picture with the whole family. He knows how loved he is. He’s completely fine about it.”

Saliba has not featured since the World Cup, though Arteta suggested there is an outside chance he could return before next month’s international break. Midfielder Martin Zubimendi is in contention to face Forest despite picking up an ankle injury in training following Arsenal’s win over Leeds at the Emirates Stadium.