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Arsenal are set to make ten scouts redundant in the latest of a series of cost cutting measures by the Premier League club.
The scouts, who are paid on a retainer basis, receiving up to £800 a month, plus expenses, have been informed of the decision in an email from the club’s Human Resources department that their contracts, which are due to expire on June 30th, will not be renewed.
The Gunners maintain that, with no academy football currently going on, there is nothing for the scouts to do, and that they will keep their jobs open, hoping to re-hire them in September.
They would have to re-apply for the posts though, and, in the meantime, are free to find employment elsewhere.
The North London club have earned a reputation in recent years for the quality of their academy system, and their ability to unearth and develop young talent, and fans will be concerned that short-term financial initiatives may damage the Gunners in the long-term.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.