Arsenal are set for another significant behind-the-scenes departure, with head of sports science and performance Tom Allen expected to leave the club this summer.
Allen has been one of Mikel Arteta’s closest and most trusted staff members during the Spaniard’s reign and has spent nine years working in north London.
His expected exit continues a summer of change behind the scenes despite Arsenal ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League title.
The performance chief joined Arsenal in 2017 after previously working at Aston Villa before being promoted to lead the club’s sports science and performance department in 2022.
Allen has played a central role in overseeing player conditioning, fitness and recovery during one of the most successful periods in the club’s recent history.
His departure follows the exit of head of medical Dr Zafar Iqbal, while Arsenal have also strengthened their performance department with new arrivals in recent weeks.
Rehabilitation specialist Eneko Angulo is joining from Real Betis, while Arnaldo Abrantes is expected to arrive after leaving Aston Villa.
Another respected member of Arteta’s staff, lead physical performance coach Sam Wilson, is also expected to leave after 12 years at the club.
Wilson has become a familiar face to Arsenal supporters through the team’s pre-match warm-ups and is reportedly set to continue his career elsewhere in Europe.
The changes come after Arsenal endured another demanding campaign in which several key players spent lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard all missed significant periods through injury during the title-winning season.
Jurrien Timber also failed to recover in time from a groin injury to represent the Netherlands at the World Cup after making his return during Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
Those setbacks prompted a review of the club’s medical and performance processes as Arsenal looked to understand the causes behind the injury problems.
Arteta also recommended Spanish physiotherapist Joaquin Acedo to carry out an assessment of the club’s practices as part of that review.
The departures are part of a wider restructuring overseen by chief executive Richard Garlick following several changes to Arsenal’s football operations over the past year.
While most supporters will naturally focus on new signings, the overhaul away from the pitch could prove equally important.
Arteta has repeatedly stressed the need for Arsenal to keep evolving after their title triumph, and that ambition is now being reflected across the club’s football department as preparations continue for the new season.