Mikel Arteta Calls for Bigger Premier League Matchday Squads

Mikel Arteta has renewed his call for bigger Premier League matchday squads, insisting the current limits no longer reflect the physical demands on players.

“I've been trying to persuade the Premier League and the clubs to be able to extend the number of players that we can have, especially the outfield players in the squads because we play more and more games and the load is unreal,” the Arsenal manager said. “Not giving the chance to those players to be able to be here to participate because maybe it demands the qualities of one of those players and we don't have them available.”

Arteta did not hide his frustration at having to leave senior options in the stands simply because of the 20-man cap.

“It’s just a shame so it's the most difficult part of the job,” he admitted. “But there's nothing to do with that, it's just a fact that we can bring 18 outfield players and we believe that for today's game these were the options that we needed, especially with the physical condition of certain players.”

His comments arrive against a backdrop of transfer intrigue around Arsenal’s No9. Napoli had been expected to accelerate their interest once Romelu Lukaku left the club, yet that anticipated push has not materialised so far.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, the market around centre-forwards remains restless. The striker who arrived at Manchester United from Bologna in July 2024 has yet to fully settle at Old Trafford, his adaptation still a live issue as the season wears on. At Stamford Bridge, Standard Sport report that Chelsea would be prepared to approve the sale of Nicolas Jackson for the right price, a stance that keeps one more attacking domino poised to fall before the window closes.