Arsenal have confirmed their intentions to retrench 55 members of staff due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the club’s finances.

According to the statement the club released on Wednesday, 5 August, one of the reasons for the job cuts is to ensure that the club has sufficient funds to maintain investment in the team.

The statement read: “These proposed changes are ultimately about ensuring we take this great football club forward, creating the right organisation for a post-Covid world, and ensuring we have the resources to return to competing effectively at the top of the game here and in Europe.”

Football was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned in June with closed door fixtures. This caused clubs to lose their ticket sales, commercial and broadcasting income for this time period. Matchday income accounts for 24% of Arsenal’s annual revenue.

In April 2020, the Gunner’s’ head coach, and the majority of the team took a 12.5% pay cut. However, this salary reduction wasn’t enough as the club faced a more significant and longer-lasting decline in revenue.

Arsenal have confirmed that it considered every aspect of the club to try and reduce expenditure to save jobs before reaching this decision.

The Gunners are now entering into the required 30-day consultation period on these proposals.

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