Mikel Arteta walks Arsenal tightrope as £448m spree creates Premier League squad rotation issue
Mikel Arteta during an Arsenal training session at the Sobha Realty Training Centre(Image: Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Sergio Aguero has warned Mikel Arteta about the challenges of rotating the Arsenal squad. Since Andrea Berta was appointed as sporting director at the Emirates Stadium in March 2025, the Gunners have invested £448million (€522m) in new faces while recouping just £128m (€149m) in player sales.
Although the Italian has managed to significantly bolster the side, helping Arsenal win the Premier League and reach the final of the UEFA Champions League, he's armed the head coach with a double-edged sword. Arteta has one of the strongest squads, but, with only 11 players allowed on the pitch, some big-money signings often miss out.
During an interview with Stake, the former Manchester City striker drew comparisons between his time at the Etihad Stadium and the challenges Pep Guardiola encountered. Aguero described heavy rotation as a 'perfectly reasonable approach', so long as it's 'managed properly'.
He said: "There’s nothing wrong with what Arsenal are proposing [rotating to prioritise the Champions League]. Pep also tends to make those changes.
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"Some players play in the Premier League and others in the Champions League. He did it with [Vincent] Kompany and [Nicolas] Otamendi at one point, and with Bernardo Silva and [Ilkay] Gündoğan.
"He also did it with [Riyad] Mahrez, [Raheem] Sterling and [Leroy] Sané. I don’t think it’s a bad approach. Mikel has an idea that’s very similar to Pep’s style.
"The problem is that sometimes players are in good form and making those changes can affect them mentally. But if it’s managed properly, it’s a perfectly reasonable approach. "
Discussing the problems of heavily rotating a starting lineup from a player's perspective, the former Argentina international said: "As a player, it’s very difficult, but you can also understand the manager’s perspective.
"It makes sense to protect players’ legs, keep them fresher and reduce injuries. The Premier League is extremely demanding. It requires much more physical effort than the Champions League.
"Every Premier League match is very physically challenging. In the Champions League, every team plays good football, tries to play out from the back and wants possession. That makes it easier physically.
"The Premier League is a different kind of football: it’s physically demanding, the centre-backs are tough, the game never stops, and there are fewer fouls.
There are more fouls and more possession in the Champions League, and the game is slightly more focused on what the opposition is doing. It’s more tactical.
"In the Premier League, even the team at the bottom of the table can beat you and make life difficult..."
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