Overview
- Dr Zafar Iqbal was informed his employment had ended with immediate effect in a meeting on June 1 that was led by chief executive Richard Garlick.
- The move comes after a 2025/26 campaign in which Arsenal played about 63 matches and suffered long absences for key players including Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz.
- The club earlier commissioned Spanish physiotherapist Joaquín Acedo to review injury management, but reports do not confirm that Acedo’s review directly caused Iqbal’s departure.
- Iqbal leaves with a strong reputation from prior roles at Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Tottenham and his exit has prompted Arsenal to begin a rapid process to appoint a replacement.
- The change is part of wider backroom movement that includes Under-21s coach Max Porter’s reported move to Stoke City and could lead to fresh scrutiny of training, workload and player-return protocols before pre-season.