Arsenal head doctor Zafar Iqbal is leaving his position at the club after a two-year tenure, as reported by the New York Times on June 8, 2026.
The 51-year-old medical professional joined the North London club from Crystal Palace in 2023, filling the vacancy left by Gary O’Driscoll, who departed for Manchester United after 16 years with Arsenal.
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Injury Crisis Amid Success
Iqbal's departure follows a grueling campaign where Arsenal secured a Premier League trophy, ending a 22-year wait, while also reaching the finals of both the Champions League and the Carabao Cup.
However, the intensive schedule of 63 competitive matches and five pre-season friendlies took a heavy toll on the squad.
A severe injury crisis hampered the team throughout the season, heavily impacting key players.
Captain Martin Odegaard was restricted to 36 total appearances and just 16 Premier League starts due to persistent knee and muscular problems.
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Bukayo Saka made just 31 league appearances, his second-lowest total since establishing his first-team role, due to hamstring, hip, and Achilles injuries.
Jurrien Timber sat out the final months of the season with a groin issue, missing the Carabao Cup final alongside Eberechi Eze, and was forced to withdraw from the Netherlands’ World Cup squad despite a brief return in the Champions League final.
The extensive injury list additionally included Gabriel, William Saliba, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Noni Madueke.
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The mounting medical issues vindicated the club's decision to enlarge the first-team squad during the previous summer transfer window.
