Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta defends 60 firings after a hefty pay rise

Just after a hefty salary increase for Arsenal‑coach Mikel Arteta, who extended his contract last week, the English club had to cut 60 jobs. The decision was taken despite an annual salary sum of between €20 million and €24 million for Arteta.

Financial pressure and staff reduction

Arsenal employs about 800 staff and must reduce operational costs of €240 million. The savings measures, estimated at between £5 million and £7 million per year, led to the elimination of positions in commerce, marketing and a department for disabled people.

The 60 redundancies do not affect any members of the technical staff; Arteta himself remains untouched. Max Dowman, who was recently photographed with the manager, was mentioned as present at the press conference.

Arteta’s defence

“It is always our intention to develop and improve as a club,” Arteta said during the press briefing. “Certain decisions must be made to place the right people in the right positions and to continue investing, with the aim of achieving the success we strive for.”

Arsenal cuts 60 jobs while Arteta earns 24 million euros a year

He added that he is not the appropriate person to answer the question and asked for respect for the decision. Arsenal’s press officer barred further questions on the subject.

The situation comes at a time when Arsenal, the English league champion, is under pressure to continue performing both sportingly and financially. A substantial salary increase for the Spaniard, who has been leading the Gunners since 2019, is seen as an investment in the future.

The controversy highlights the tension between high salaries and the need for cost reduction within top clubs. How the club will adjust the remaining staff structure remains to be seen.