Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta Calls for Larger Premier League Matchday Squads

Arsenal’s head coach Mikel Arteta has formally asked the Premier League to raise the permitted size of matchday squads. Under current rules clubs name 20 players for each game, including a minimum of three home-grown players. Arteta argues that this limit harms player welfare and morale, especially given Arsenal’s involvement in multiple competitions.

The Guardian

In England, a senior squad may contain 25 players (aged over 21) with at least eight home-grown, but only 20 can be selected for a matchday roster. By contrast, Spain’s La Liga allows 23 players and Italy’s Serie A permits 25. Arsenal have competed on several fronts in recent seasons—winning the Premier League, reaching the Champions League and Carabao Cup finals, and the FA Cup quarter-finals—intensifying the demand on their roster.

The Guardian

• Premier League matchday limit: 20 players (minimum three home-grown).

The Guardian

• Registered senior squad size: 25 players (minimum eight home-grown).

The Guardian

• Result: five senior players sit out each match.

The Guardian

Arteta emphasized that expanding the squad size would protect player welfare, allowing more individuals to feel involved and maintain their valuation. He explained that excluding players from matchday squads can negatively affect their wellbeing and the club’s overall environment. The manager also highlighted that the current rule forces coaches to make “really tough” decisions about who travels and who stays home, which he believes is unnecessary when other leagues operate with larger squads.

The Guardian

• “I’ve been begging the Premier League if we can extend those numbers just for the welfare of the players, which is the most important thing, because I think every squad needs more than 20 outfield players, ideally, to sustain the level of demand in international games that we have,” — Mikel Arteta

The Guardian

If the Premier League adopts larger squads, Arsenal—and potentially other clubs—could reduce the psychological strain on fringe players, improve morale, and better manage the congested fixture schedule that accompanies domestic and European commitments. Arteta frames the change as a “simple solution” to a “real issue” affecting player valuation and inclusion.

The Guardian