Arsenal Cut Contracts for a Number of Top Scouts Across Europe

Arsenal have been forced to begin terminating the contracts of some of their top European scouts in the wake of the global financial crisis stemming from the coronavirus outbreak.

The north London club have already had to let several of their domestic recruiters go, and it now looks like this will extend to the continent as well.

According to the Mirror, the move to cut overseas staff follows the reported news from the end of May that ten part-time academy scouts would be let go as part of financial pressure easing at the club.

Said scouts are attributed to the success of several young players' development and entry to the first team, including Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles, both of whom have made significant breakthroughs this season and whose value has shot up.

Now it appears as if a good proportion of senior scouts operating abroad who are responsible for monitoring potential big money foreign signings will be given their marching orders.

Those who were deemed surplus to requirements were given notice of redundancy via letters this week, although some weren't offered anything in the way of generous pay-offs due to the crisis; in fact, some were only offered a month's salary as compensation.

It's a blow to the Gunners, who are need of squad reinforcements this summer under new manager Mikel Arteta. The club did not furlough any of their staff at the start of lockdown, but Arteta and his players did accept a significant pay cut.

Arsenal returned to the pitch against Charlton in a behind-closed-doors friendly at the Emirates on Saturday. They ran out 6-0 winners, with talented youngster Eddie Nketiah scoring a hat-trick.

Arsenal's first taste of Premier League action after the restart is against current champions Manchester City on 17 June.