ARSENAL chief Mikel Arteta has urged the Premier League to boost matchday squads to 23 players – to help players’ mental health.
Arteta has followed Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool boss Arne Slot by calling on the top flight to increase the current squad size of 20 to fall in line with Uefa competitions which is 23.
Arteta, 43, said: “At the moment there are two or three players that have to be out of the squad, that’s a reality and I cannot change that. These are the rules of the Premier League next season.
“I beg them to change. In the Champions League, it’s much better to manage the squad, to maintain the value of the players, to maintain the mental health of the players.
“We have a really unique job, which is we have the ability to transform somebody’s life and career, which is great.
“But as well, every week we have to tell somebody, ‘tomorrow you don’t do the job. You’re not even allowed to travel with the team’.
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“So tell me a job that you have to do that. It is like you go to the kitchen tomorrow and say to two of the chefs, ‘today you don’t cook’.
“It’s just something that we have discussed internally a lot. In the right moments, I have raised that.
“With other changes, it was the same. We went from three to five subs. Now, we have other competitions and we are allowed to bring in 20 outfield players.
“I see the reaction of the players and I’m sure all the managers and players are feeling the same way.
“Because there is nothing worse than not having the opportunity to be there with your team. We are taking that from them.
“Then we can better manage the minutes of the players, the psychological and emotional moments. I think it’s better for absolutely everybody. That’s my opinion.”
Arsenal head to Leeds tomorrow, looking to end a run of three Premier League games without a win.
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