Arsenal to axe 60 staff despite record £691m revenue

Arsenal have informed staff of plans to make 60 positions redundant, even as they announced record revenues of £691m for the 2024/25 season ^[1]. The cuts will affect multiple departments, though coaching, performance teams for men and women, the academy, community operations, the Arsenal Foundation, security, and women’s team staff are exempt. A consultation is ongoing, meaning the final decision could still change.

The club reported a modest loss of £1.4 million for the same period, nearly breaking even, with the agreement to sell the naming rights for their training facility to Sobha Realty in February 2024 contributing significantly to income ^[1]. Despite this financial performance, the redundancy plans come after a summer of major spending, including £150m on Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes, and Ezri Konsa — players seen as key to Arsenal’s status as one of Europe’s strongest squads.

The move follows the recent signing of manager Mikel Arteta to a new contract extending to 2030, believed to make him the highest-paid coach in the Premier League ^[1]. The timing has sparked concern among fans, especially given the contrast between high-profile contracts and widespread job losses.

Arsenal are not alone in this approach; Manchester United previously cut staff under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership, citing financial necessity to avoid collapse ^[1]. However, those moves drew significant criticism, and Arsenal’s decision is likely to face similar scrutiny.

The club has not confirmed whether the redundancies are tied to cost-cutting or restructuring, but the scale of the cuts — despite record revenue — underscores the financial pressures even top-tier clubs face. With the Premier League title still fresh, the announcement has left many questioning the club’s priorities ^[1]. The story was first reported by Mirror.