Arteta says Premier League squad rules are a ‘real problem’ for Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has urged Premier League officials to act immediately and expand matchday squads this season, saying the current limits are damaging players’ welfare and leaving managers with difficult decisions.

According to The Sun, the Arsenal manager is calling for clubs to be allowed to name more substitutes so that fewer players are excluded from their matchday squads. Premier League rules currently permit managers to list nine substitutes, up from the seven allowed before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arteta believes that number should be increased further, allowing him to include every player available rather than leave members of his squad out altogether.

The Arsenal manager, whose side face Aston Villa tonight, has had to omit players including Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus from his squad on occasions this season. He feels those decisions create a series of problems, and both players are now expected to leave the club.

“That is why I have been pleading with the Premier League officials to extend those numbers, purely for the welfare of the players, which is the most important thing,” Arteta said.

“I think every team ideally needs more than 20 players on the pitch to maintain the level of demand in the international matches we face, but those are the rules and, within those rules, we have to play.”

Arteta said managers must work closely with players who are not selected and explain the reasons for their omission properly, so they continue to feel valued within the squad.

“We need to be very close to the players to explain those situations in the right way, so that everyone feels important, because they really will be,” he added.

The Arsenal boss does not want to continue having “difficult” conversations with players who would rather be involved with the team than remain at home watching matches on television.

“The question should be asked to the players more than anyone else: what do they want?” Arteta said.

“If they say, ‘No, I prefer to stay at home’, then we have a problem because they will not enjoy what they are doing.”

“But I am sure that if you ask the players, everyone will want to be part of the team on matchday. Otherwise, you have to tell someone that they are not even part of the matchday squad. That is extremely difficult and it will not help anyone.”

Arteta said the situation was damaging not only to players but also to their clubs and their development.

“It does not benefit the club, it does not benefit the assessment of the player and it does not help them feel part of it,” he said.

“In my opinion, it is a real problem and it has a very simple solution.”

The debate about matchday squad sizes has grown as clubs manage larger groups and increasingly demanding calendars. Supporters can discuss the issue and other football news in greater depth on the Kooora forums.