Mikel Arteta Advocates for Larger Premier League Matchday Squads

Mikel Arteta has renewed his push for bigger Premier League matchday squads, warning that the current limits are out of step with the modern schedule and the physical strain 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.

He underlined the frustration of leaving fit professionals in the stands when their specific qualities might be exactly what a match demands.

Right now, he can name only 18 outfield players. For a club chasing trophies on multiple fronts, that feels tight. Very tight.

“It's just a shame so it's the most difficult part of the job,” he admitted, making clear this is not about favouritism or politics, simply about numbers.

“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.”

Arteta’s comments land at a time when squad construction and depth are under intense scrutiny across the league, particularly in attack.

Napoli have long been linked with Arsenal’s No9 and were expected to accelerate their interest once Romelu Lukaku’s departure was finalised. That anticipated push has not materialised. For now, the Italian club’s pursuit remains on hold, and Arsenal’s forward picture stays as crowded – and as politically delicate – as ever.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, big-name strikers are wrestling with their own pressures.

At Old Trafford, a summer arrival from Bologna in July 2024 has yet to fully settle. The step up has been sharp, the adaptation period unforgiving, and questions over form have followed quickly.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are prepared to be more ruthless. Standard Sport report that the Blues would be willing to sanction the sale of Nicolas Jackson for the right price, a clear signal that no attacking berth at Stamford Bridge is guaranteed.

Across the division, the message is the same: more games, more strain, and high-profile forwards under the microscope. Arteta’s call for expanded squads is not just a technical plea to administrators. It cuts to the heart of how clubs manage elite players in a calendar that shows no sign of easing.