Arsenal have parted company with head of sports medicine and performance Dr Zafar Iqbal with immediate effect, ending a brief spell at the club for the doctor who arrived only in February 2024.
The move lands at a sensitive moment for Arsenal’s medical setup and has pushed the zafar iqbal arsenal departure to the center of attention because the club is already under scrutiny over its injury record. Iqbal took the job after Gary O’Driscoll left for Manchester United a few months earlier, ending a 15-year run at Arsenal, and he came in with senior experience from Crystal Palace and Liverpool as well as spells at Spurs and Leyton Orient. He also chairs the FA Medical Society, which supports medical professionals working throughout the game.
Last month, reports said Mikel Arteta had commissioned freelance physiotherapist Joaquin Acedo to carry out an independent review of Arsenal’s injury situation. Acedo had hinted at his involvement as far back as September in a post on Instagram, though it remains unclear whether he was formally brought into Arteta’s backroom staff during the campaign. He was seen in Budapest for the Champions League final and joined Arsenal’s trophy parade through the streets of Islington 10 days ago, underlining how closely tied the review had become to the club’s recent season.
That backdrop matters because Arsenal have spent much of Arteta’s tenure dealing with fitness setbacks that have stretched across the squad. Ben White, Gabriel Jesus and Jurrien Timber have all undergone knee surgeries. William Saliba has battled a persistent back problem. Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz have required hamstring operations, while Havertz has also had a procedure on his knee. Mikel Merino needed surgery on a broken foot, and Riccardo Calafiori and Martin Odegaard have both spent spells sidelined with various complaints.
The one gap Arsenal have not yet filled publicly is whether Iqbal’s exit is linked to that review. The Telegraph said it remains unclear whether his sacking has any connection with Acedo’s work, and the club has not said whether a replacement has already been identified. Arsenal are due back for pre-season towards the end of July, which is likely to bring the first real clue about how the club plans to rebuild the top of its medical department.
