- Arsenal confirmed plans to make 60 staff members redundant across several departments, with consultations still ongoing
- The job cuts come after Arteta’s new £25 million-per-year contract and reported a record £691 million revenue
- Arteta addressed the redundancies ahead of Arsenal's clash with Nottingham Forest, saying the decision was not his to explain
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has commented on the club's decision to cut 60 jobs across multiple departments, saying the matter falls outside his remit as head coach.
Arteta spoke during his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal's fixture against Nottingham Forest, after reporters pressed him on the planned redundancies. The club confirmed that consultations with affected staff are still ongoing before any final decision is reached.
Source: Getty Images
The timing of the cuts has raised eyebrows, given that Arsenal are coming off one of their most successful seasons in decades. The Gunners claimed their first Premier League title in 22 years and reached the UEFA Champions League final, where they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain.
As noted by The Athletic, the club also posted a record revenue of £691 million, which included a £45 million rise in commercial income, with a net loss of just £1.4 million.
Arteta's response to the redundancy plans
Despite the financial headline figures, the club is pressing ahead with a restructuring exercise. Arteta was offered a new contract worth £25 million per year, making him the highest-paid manager in the Premier League, just before news of the job cuts emerged.
When asked about the redundancies, Arteta said the process had been communicated to him internally but that answering for it publicly was not his role.
“This question is not for me. I was informed about the exercise and analysis that has been done across the club, and with the intention always to evolve and improve,” he said via Arsenal.com.
“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 that question, that's for sure, and hopefully everybody will respect that.”
On the pitch, Arsenal are targeting back-to-back league titles. The Gunners face competition from Chelsea, managed by Enzo Maresca, as they bid to retain the Premier League trophy they won last season.
Arsenal’s UCL prize money
Legit.ng previously reported that Arsenal earned the most money in the Champions League last season despite losing the final to PSG.
The impressive run in the group stage during which they won all eight matches boosted their revenue in the competition ahead of the winner.
Source: Legit.ng
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