Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal job cuts as controversial decision 'explained'

Mikel Arteta has defended Arsenal's plans to make job cuts, insisting the decision has been made "with the intention to evolve and to improve".

Richard Garlick, the club's CEO, announced on a call on Wednesday morning that 60 members of staff will lose their jobs.

Arsenal employ a permanent workforce of 871 staff members, while the club uses an average of just under 1,500 temporary staff a month.

The cuts will not impact any of the coaching or performance staff in the men's or women's teams, while jobs across the security department and the Arsenal Foundation are also unaffected.

They are set to take place across a range of departments in off-the-field roles.

Asked for his thoughts on the cuts at his pre-Nottingham Forest press conference on Friday, Arteta said: "This question is not for me.

"It was explained to me about the exercise and analysis that has been done across the club. And with the intention always to evolve and to improve.

Mikel Arteta faced questions on Arsenal’s plans to make 60 staff members redundant

AFP/Getty

"Some decisions have to be taken to put people in the right roles and keep investing to achieve what we want to achieve and the success that we want to create. So that's been explained.

"Obviously, I'm not the right person to answer to that question. That's for sure. And hopefully everybody will respect that."

The club’s press officer then refused to let Arteta answer any further questions on the topic.

The cuts were the result of a review by management consultants Boston Consulting Group.

That figure was down significantly from the £17.7m loss recorded in 2023/24, but it is still now seven years in a row that Arsenal have posted a loss.