Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesJune 9, 2026 Updated 6:06 pm EDTArsenal are set to appoint former Olympic sprinter Arnaldo Abrantes as head doctor following his departure from Aston Villa.Abrantes will replace Zafar Iqbal in the role, who The Athletic reported on Monday is leaving the Premier League champions.The Portuguese sprinter is set to arrive in July, joining two other doctors who have left Villa, including Carmen Marquez, to move to Arsenal in recent months. The Midlands club have already moved to secure his replacement.Abrantes spent three years at Nottingham Forest from August 2020 to 2023, following a sprinting career that saw him qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Iqbal, 51, joined Arsenal from Crystal Palace in 2023, replacing Gary O’Driscoll, who left the club to join Manchester United after spending 16 years in north London.Arsenal sustained several injuries last season despite ending their 22-year wait for a league trophy, and reaching the finals of the Champions League and Carabao Cup.Captain Martin Odegaard was limited to 36 appearances in all competitions and started just 16 Premier League games due to a range of knee and muscular injuries.Meanwhile Bukayo Saka is still not 100 per cent fit, England manager Thomas Tuchel said on Tuesday, after “playing through the pain” for Arsenal towards the end of the season.Jun 9, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
