Mikel Arteta Urges Premier League to Change Matchday Squad Rules

Mikel Arteta is pushing the Premier League to act now, not next season.

On the eve of Arsenal’s clash with Aston Villa, the Gunners manager renewed his plea for an immediate change to matchday squad rules, insisting the issue is about “player welfare” rather than gaining a tactical edge.

At present, Premier League clubs can name nine substitutes, a figure raised from seven during the Covid-19 period. Arteta wants that limit lifted again, arguing that modern demands on elite players make the current setup outdated and damaging.

“That is why I have been begging Premier League officials to extend those numbers just for the safety of the players, which is the most important thing,” he said.

This is not a theoretical gripe. It is personal and current.

Across this season, Arteta has had to exclude big names such as Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus from his matchday squads. Not from the starting XI. From the squad entirely. For a manager who leans heavily on unity and collective buy-in, telling internationals to stay at home and watch on television cuts deep.

He believes the modern calendar simply does not fit inside a 20-man matchday group.

“I think every team needs more than 20 players on the pitch, ideally, to maintain the level of demand in the international matches we face, but these are the rules, and within these rules, we have to play,” he continued.

The rules may be clear. The conversations they force are anything but.

Arteta spoke of “difficult” talks with players left out altogether, insisting those moments weigh on him. For him, it is not only about minutes on the pitch; it is about belonging.

“We need to be very close to the players to explain those situations in the right way, so that everyone feels their importance, because they will indeed be important,” he said.

The Arsenal boss believes the debate should not be framed solely around coaches and administrators. He wants the players’ voices front and centre.

“The question should be put to the players more than anyone else,” he said. “What do they want? If they say: no, I would rather stay at home, then we will have a problem because they will not like what they are doing.”

Arteta is convinced the answer is obvious.

“I am sure that if you ask the players, everyone would want to be part of the team on matchday, otherwise you would have to tell one of them that he is not even part of the matchday squad. That is extremely hard. And it will not benefit anyone.”

From his perspective, the current system undermines too many pillars at once: club planning, player assessment, and the emotional bond between squad and team.

“This does not benefit the club, nor does it benefit the assessment of the player, nor does it help them feel part of it. In my opinion, it is a real problem and it has a very simple solution.”

For Arteta, that solution is straightforward: expand the bench, keep everyone inside the circle, and let the Premier League catch up with the reality of the modern game.