Morale at Arsenal has plummeted after the club told staff that 60 jobs are at risk of redundancy, with the mood described as 'low' during the team's best period on the pitch for two decades.
The announcement came just days after Mikel Arteta was handed a new contract worth £20million per year, making him the highest-paid manager in the Premier League.
Arteta's response to the cuts
When asked about the potential redundancies, Arteta said: "It was explained to me about the exercise, and the analysis that has been done across the club, and with the intention always to evolve to improve. Some decisions have to be taken, to put people in the right roles, and keep investing to achieve what we want to achieve and the success that we want to create."
He added: "So that has been explained. Obviously, I am not the right person to answer that question, that's for sure, and hopefully everybody will respect that."
Departments affected and exemptions
Staff in the catering and travel departments are among those to be affected, according to a report in the Telegraph. The men's and women's first-team performance and coaching staff will not be impacted, nor will staff from the academy, Arsenal Women, Arsenal in the Community, the Arsenal Foundation and site security teams.
The 60 affected people could be given opportunities in other departments as part of the restructure, which aims to address Arsenal having recorded a financial loss in the last seven years.
Champions League ambition
The decision has left a sour taste for staff who five months ago were celebrating becoming Premier League champions. Their next target is the Champions League, having lost last season's final on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.
Ahead of Wednesday's game away to Bayern Munich, Arteta admitted: "I've tried (to get over the PSG defeat), but I haven't managed. That's the reality. So I tried for many weeks during the summer, but even today, and when I see the ball, when I (hear) the music, when I see the scenes, I want it so badly."
He added: "We know that we have to go step by step, but I think that's fired up the team, and all of us individually, because we know that because of a penalty, we are not the champions of Europe. So, yeah, let's try again."
