Arsenal’s medical & performance overhaul: Arrivals, exits & the man behind it
Written by
Simon Austin
August 5, 2026
They say never change a winning team, but champions Arsenal go into the new season having completely overhauled their performance and medical staff.
Out have gone Head of Sports Science and Performance Tom Allen, Head of Sports Medicine and Performance Dr Zafar Iqbal and Lead Performance Coach Sam Wilson.
In have come Antonio Gomez-Diaz as Head of Performance, Arnaldo Abrantes as Head of Medical Services, Eneko Angulo as Lead Rehab Coach and Jose Jimenez as Strength and Conditioning Coach.
All but one (the Portuguese Abrantes) are Spanish, as is the most significant newcomer of all, Joaquin Acedo. He will take on a senior supervisory role in the medical department, although his exact title and remit have not been announced.
Acedo was a regular presence at Arsenal’s Colney training ground earlier this year, although many staff weren’t sure why, and he conducted a review of the club’s performance and medical provision in May.
Manager Mikel Arteta had commissioned the review because of concerns about the number of injuries the club had suffered during the season. Transfermarkt data showed Arsenal lost 232 Premier League games to injuries across 21 players, much more than the 184-game league average.
Arteta and Acedo have been friends for more than 20 years, since the practitioner became personal physio to the then Real Sociedad player in 2004-05. Acedo recently spoke about their relationship during a June interview with Radio Cádiz .
“Mikel came into my life during my first stint at Cádiz as a basic physiotherapist,” he said. “We developed a strong personal and professional relationship. Many players came to him and I had the opportunity to treat many of them.
“After that, I went with him to Everton (in January 2025). I was with him throughout his entire football career until he retired.”
Since the latter half of the 2023 season, Acedo has worked for Cádiz again, leading their physio and rehab department. Then the call came from Arsenal.
“I’ve read that Cádiz let someone go,” he told Radio Cádiz. “That’s impossible, since it’s impossible to retain someone who’s offered a project of such magnitude as Arsenal.”
New faces
Arsenal’s players have been getting acquainted with a new performance and medical staff during pre-season:
- Antonio Gomez-Diaz (Head of Performance): Arrived from SC Braga in Portugal, where he combined the Head of Performance role with assistant coaching duties. Built his career in England first, starting at Liverpool in 2006 as Physical Coach for the Reserves, winning the Premier League Reserves title in 2008, before moving to Sunderland (2008-09) and then Ipswich (2009-11), both as First Team Physical Coach and Sport Scientist. Returned to Spain with FC Cartagena, then spent eight years at Barcelona – four with the B team and four with the first team, winning two league titles, two Copa del Reys and two Spanish Super Cups. Spells followed with the Poland national team, Flamengo and Spain’s youth and senior set-ups.
- Arnaldo Abrantes (Head of Medical Services): Arrived from Aston Villa, where he had been Head of Medicine since August 2023. Had an impressive athletics career before moving into medicine, becoming Portuguese national champion in the 100m and 200m and representing his country at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Joined Estoril as Clinical Director in 2017 before being promoted to lead the medical and performance department. Moved into English football in 2020, joining Sabri Lamouchi’s staff at Nottingham Forest as Head of Performance. Move to Arsenal reunites him with Carmen Márquez Sánchez, the Spanish physio who joined from Villa in January.
- Eneko Angulo (Lead Rehabilitation Coach): Left Real Betis after 12 years to move to the Emirates. Started with Seville-based club as an intern in the Academy, before working his way up to the first team under Manuel Pellegrini. Worked as a Physio for Saudi Arabia at the 2026 World Cup.
- Jose Jimenez (Strength and Conditioning Coach): Worked with Acedo at Cadiz, where he started his career. Left the Spanish side for German team Bayer Leverkusen in October 2025 and was the youngest fitness coach in the Champions League last season.
The departing staff have been gracious in their leaving messages. Allen had worked for Arsenal for nine years, having initially joined from Aston Villa, and was a regular presence on the touchline on matchdays.
“It has been an incredible privilege to work at such a special football club and to be part of a first-team environment with such high standards, ambition and care,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
“I am proud of the work we have done, the progress made and the part I have played in supporting players and staff through some brilliant moments. But more than anything, I will remember the people.
“Thank you to the players and everyone behind the scenes who makes the club what it is. I have learned a huge amount from so many good people and I leave with a lot of gratitude.”
Iqbal wrote: “After a challenging but ultimately successful season, and following discussions with the club, we have come to a mutual agreement to part ways.
“This will enable me to take a short break after 21 consecutive years in professional football. While there has been speculation online around the reasons for my departure, the simple truth is that after the success of this season the time is right for both parties to move in a new direction.
“I wish everyone at the club the very best for the future.”
And Wilson, who rose from Under-18s S&C Coach to become Lead Performance Coach for the first team, wrote: “After 12 incredible years, I’ve made the decision to leave Arsenal and take the next step in my career.
“Looking back, I’m immensely proud to have progressed from the Academy to a Lead role within the first team, working alongside exceptional players and staff, and contributing to some truly special moments.
“I’m grateful to everyone who trusted, challenged and supported me throughout that journey. Now, I’m excited to embrace a new challenge, a new culture and a different environment that will continue to develop me both professionally and personally.”
Wilson has now been appointed as Head of Performance at Parma in Serie A – a move that reunites him with former Arsenal Assistant Carlos Cuesta, who is now their Head Coach.
New Head of Performance Antonio Gomez-Diaz with Arteta
Broader questions
The changes show, once again, that Arteta has become the dominant football figure at Arsenal, wielding influence across the whole department. When previous Head of Performance Darren Burgess made wholesale changes in the summer of 2018, it was emphasised that these were club appointments, independent of the manager.
Now the opposite seems to be true.
There are other issues. Is it an objective and independent review if the person conducting it is a friend of the manager? There is also the question of accreditation.
Acedo is not currently registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the UK’s statutory regulator for a range of health and care professions, including physiotherapists.
This is important, because the HCPC ensures quality control, ongoing standards and also provides a route to complaints for patients (in this case players).
It also seems unfair to attribute injuries solely to medical or performance staff, as much of the media has done in commentary about Arsenal. Other factors are important, such as training methodology, loading and rotation.
Going into the Champions League final, Declan Rice had played 49 games across the Premier League and Champions League, while Bukayo Saka had played 40.
Only four of PSG’s players had played more than 50% of available minutes in the league and Champions League going into the match, whereas for Arsenal it was seven.
Arteta pointed, justifiably, to the contrast in the competitiveness between the Premier League, Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga after watching the thrilling semi-final second leg between Bayern Munich and PSG.
“When I look at the amount of minutes and the freshness of those players, then I’m not surprised,” he said. “To deliver those moments of quality, you have to be very fresh and the difference in the leagues and the way they compete is night and day.”
However, it does seem to be the medical and performance staff who have carried the can for Arsenal’s availability problems last season.
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