Mikel Arteta has indicated that Arsenal will need to significantly expand their squad this summer to address the club’s ongoing injury crisis. The situation has become critical with defender Gabriel being ruled out for the season due to a hamstring injury requiring surgery, potentially affecting his availability for the start of the next campaign.
The injury list at Arsenal has been substantial this season. Captain Martin Odegaard missed 12 matches with an ankle problem, while Bukayo Saka has only recently returned after nearly four months on the sidelines. Ben White has barely featured since December following knee surgery, and there are concerns about Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz’s readiness for the new season.
The expanded Champions League format and participation in domestic cups have significantly increased Arsenal’s fixture load. Arteta’s team played 17 matches across January and February alone – six more than the previous year.
“Logically if we demand the players to play more games in more competitions with more travel and more intensity, the only solution is more players,” Arteta explained.
The congested calendar continues to worsen with international tournaments like the African Cup of Nations and the upcoming Club World Cup adding further strain. Arteta emphasized that “every month the intensity, the quality and the pressure is increasing,” noting there are physical limits to what players can endure.
Planning for next season is complicated by recovery timelines for injured players. The unpredictable nature of injuries, as demonstrated by Gabriel’s situation, makes squad management increasingly challenging. Despite careful management of players’ fitness, injuries remain somewhat unavoidable.
As Arsenal prepare for their crucial Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid, the need for a deeper squad has never been more apparent.
