Arteta addresses Arsenal plans to cut around 60 off-field jobs

Mikel Arteta said Arsenal had explained their planned job cuts to him as part of an effort to improve the club's operations and support continued investment. Speaking on Friday, October 16, the manager addressed reports that around 60 roles would be removed, while saying he was not the appropriate person to answer detailed questions about the redundancies.

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According to BBC Sport, chief executive Richard Garlick informed employees this week that the workforce would be reduced across several departments. The proposed cuts concern off-field positions and could affect up to seven per cent of Arsenal's 871 permanent staff. The reporting describes planned reductions, rather than confirming that all affected employees have already left their jobs.

BBC Sport reported that coaching and performance staff in the men's and women's teams would not be affected. Roles within the Arsenal Foundation, Arsenal in the Community and the security staff were also excluded. An external review of the workforce had already been under way before Arsenal won the Premier League, placing the exercise before the club's recent title celebrations.

In remarks reported by the Press Association and published by The Independent, Arteta said the analysis had been presented to him as a way for Arsenal to develop and improve. He described the stated aim as assigning people to appropriate roles while continuing to invest in success. He then reiterated that the questions were not for him and took no further questions on the subject.

The announcement follows Arteta's new four-year contract, agreed the previous week after he led Arsenal to their first Premier League title since 2004. The Independent reported that the agreement could be worth as much as £20 million a season. His comments about the staffing changes came at a news conference before the league trip to Nottingham Forest.

The financial backdrop includes record revenue alongside a continuing loss. BBC Sport reported that Arsenal's 2024-25 revenue reached £691 million, but the club recorded an overall loss of £1.4 million. Operating costs increased to £200.8 million from £147.9 million in the previous financial year, according to the same report.