Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta defended the club’s decision to cut 60 jobs across multiple departments, telling reporters Friday the restructuring is part of an effort to help Arsenal evolve and succeed. Arteta spoke ahead of Sunday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, days after Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick informed staff of the redundancies.
The cuts do not affect playing or coaching staff on either the men’s or women’s teams, according to ESPN. Arteta said he was not the right person to field detailed questions about which roles are being eliminated, but he backed the broader intent behind the move.
Arteta’s Comments On The Arsenal Job Cuts
Asked about the redundancies, Arteta pointed to an internal review process he said runs through the entire club. “This exercise, and the analysis that has been done across the club, and with the intention always to evolve to improve,” Arteta said. “Some decisions have to be taken to put people in the right roles, and keep investing, to achieve what we want to achieve, the success that we want to create.”
Arteta did not elaborate on which departments are losing staff or when the restructuring will take effect. He directed those questions to the club’s business operations rather than the football side he oversees.
What The Restructuring Means For Arsenal
The job losses come at a time when Arsenal’s finances look stronger than ever on paper. The club posted a record turnover of £691 million ($920 million) for the 2024-25 season. That figure makes the timing of the cuts notable, since a reduction in staff typically follows financial strain rather than record revenue.
Arteta’s framing suggests the cuts are being presented internally as a reorganization rather than a cost-cutting measure tied to poor results or lost income. He described the process as putting “people in the right roles” rather than simply reducing headcount, though the club has not detailed what that restructuring looks like in practice.
Context: Arteta’s Own Standing At The Club
The manager’s defense of the cuts comes shortly after he signed a new four-year contract worth as much as £20 million ($27 million) a season, a deal reached after he led Arsenal to its first Premier League title since 2004. That new deal, detailed in Arsenal’s extension with Arteta, underscores the contrast between investment in the football department and the reductions now hitting other parts of the club.
Arsenal has not released a breakdown of which departments are affected or offered an estimate of expected savings. No timeline for when the redundancies take effect has been made public, and there has been no statement from staff representatives or unions regarding the cuts.
What’s Next
Arsenal turns its attention to Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest, the match Arteta was previewing when he addressed the job cuts. The club has not indicated when it plans to provide further detail on the restructuring beyond Garlick’s initial notice to staff this week.
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