Arsenal proposes 60 redundancies despite record £691m revenue
Arsenal told staff it plans to cut 60 off-the-field roles after posting record 2024-25 revenue of £691m with a £1.4m overall loss. Manager Mikel Arteta said the decision was explained to him but declined to discuss it further.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Arsenal have told staff they plan to cut 60 roles across several departments, in what GB News describes as a bid to make substantial savings. GB NewsR “Arsenal are planning to cut 60 staff roles across multiple departments in a bid to make substantial savings.” Read at GB News ↗ Evening StandardN “They are set to take place across a range of departments in off-the-field roles.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Evening Standard reports that chief executive Richard Garlick announced the cuts on a call on Wednesday morning. Evening StandardN “Richard Garlick, the club's CEO, announced on a call on Wednesday morning that 60 members of staff will lose their jobs.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Right · 1A formal consultation is under way and the final outcome could change, according to The Athletic as cited by GB News. GB NewsR “A formal consultation process is currently taking place, and the final outcome remains subject to potential revision, according to The Athletic.” Read at GB News ↗
Centre · 1The Standard says Arsenal employ 871 permanent staff and use just under 1,500 temporary staff a month. Coaching and performance staff in the men's and women's teams are not affected, nor are jobs in security or the Arsenal Foundation. Evening StandardN “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.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Standard reports that the cuts followed a review by management consultants Boston Consulting Group. Evening StandardN “The cuts were the result of a review by management consultants Boston Consulting Group.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Mixed · 2Both outlets note the financial backdrop: record turnover of £691m in 2024-25 but an overall deficit of £1.4m. GB NewsR “record turnover totalling £691million for the 2024-25 financial year” Read at GB News ↗ Evening StandardN “While Arsenal posted record revenues in the 2024/25 financial year of £691million, the club still made an overall loss of £1.4m.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Mixed · 2GB News adds that commercial income rose by £45m to £263.2m from £218.3m, helped by the sale of naming rights for the training ground to Sobha Realty in February 2024. The Standard adds that the loss was down from £17.7m in 2023/24, but that this was a seventh consecutive year of losses. GB NewsR “Commercial income saw the sharpest growth, rising by £45m to reach £263.2m, up from £218.3m the previous year.” Read at GB News ↗ Evening StandardN “it is still now seven years in a row that Arsenal have posted a loss.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1On Friday, before the Nottingham Forest match, Mikel Arteta said the question was not for him and that the exercise had been explained to him as intended "to evolve and to improve". He said some decisions had to be taken to put people in the right roles and keep investing, then declined further questions on the subject. Evening StandardN “"This question is not for me.”“Arteta refused to take any further questions on the topic.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Centre · 1The Standard notes the announcement came a week after Arteta signed a new long-term contract that makes him one of the highest-paid managers in the world, and says the club has faced criticism over the plans. Evening StandardN “The announcement of the cuts came a week on from news that Arteta had signed a new long-term contract to become of the highest-paid managers in the world.”“Gunners have faced criticism over plans to make 60 staff members redundant” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on Arteta's response to the cuts and presents them as a management decision with an explained rationale.
- Emphasis
- Staff numbers, who is exempt, the Boston Consulting Group review, Arteta's refusal to elaborate, and the long record of losses.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the commercial income breakdown or the Sobha Realty naming-rights deal.
- Charged language
- “controversial decision”
- For example
-
“Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal job cuts as controversial decision 'explained'” — Evening Standard
“it is still now seven years in a row that Arsenal have posted a loss.” — Evening Standard
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the contrast between the cuts and record revenue, then moves to match reports and a tribute to Ken Friar.
- Emphasis
- Record turnover and commercial income growth against the decision to pursue headcount reductions.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Boston Consulting Group review, which staff are exempt, or the seven-year run of losses.
- Charged language
- “despite making record revenues”“substantial headcount reductions”
- For example
-
“Despite these encouraging figures and the record revenue haul, the club has opted to pursue substantial headcount reductions to drive further financial efficiencies.” — GB News
What every side reports
- Arsenal plan to make 60 staff redundant across off-the-field roles.
- Arsenal posted record 2024-25 revenue of £691m and an overall loss of £1.4m.
Mikel Arteta person
Arteta said it was not for him to answer, that the analysis across the club had been explained to him, and that decisions were needed to put people in the right roles while continuing to invest. He asked for respect and took no further questions.
“Obviously, I'm not the right person to answer to that question.” — Evening Standard
Arsenal organisation
Through CEO Richard Garlick, the club told staff of the cuts. Reports say a formal consultation is under way and the outcome may change.
“Richard Garlick, the club's CEO, announced on a call on Wednesday morning that 60 members of staff will lose their jobs.” — Evening Standard
“A formal consultation process is currently taking place, and the final outcome remains subject to potential revision, according to The Athletic.” — GB News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal job cuts as controversial decision 'explained'
Neutral Reports Arteta's defence of the cuts alongside the club's financial context and the consultants' review.
Right1 article
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GB NewsR ·
Arsenal to make 60 staff redundant despite making record revenues
Critical Sets the cuts against record revenue and calls the move a choice despite encouraging figures.
- 14 Oct 14:54 First GB NewsR Arsenal to make 60 staff redundant despite making record revenues
- 16 Oct 15:58 +49h 5m Evening StandardN Mikel Arteta defends Arsenal job cuts as controversial decision 'explained'
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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