It sucks because 55 people, about 7.5% of Arsenal’s employees, are losing their jobs in the middle of a worldwide pandemic that has caused widespread financial hardship. It sucks because Arsenal are a $2 billion club with a $6 billion plus owner that almost certainly could keep those people in their jobs if they wanted to. It sucks because it’s another step towards the “contacts based” approach of Raul Sanllehi that has ceded control of Arsenal’s transfer dealings to Edu Gaspar and superagent Kia Joorabchian.
The move is a harsh reminder that the business of football is a cold, calculating one where the bottom line matters above all else.
The redundancy layoffs are particularly aggravating because Arsenal were the only Premier League team whose players took a year-long paycut during the shutdown. The reporting was that the team pitched the cut to the players as a way to save jobs during a tough financial period and as a show of solidarity that all club employees are important and valued. And now, not even six months later, this.