Premier League confirm decision for 2025/26 season that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will not like

The Premier League has confirmed a big change for next season that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is unlikely to be a fan of. The 2024/25 campaign for the Gunners has been mixed with attacking injuries derailing their title charge alongside playing a role in Carabao Cup and FA Cup departures.

Focus in north London is now seemingly on the Champions League with a quarter-final tie against Real Madrid to come after the March international break. Nonetheless, Arteta will absolutely still want his side to continue winning in the Premier League.

However, that may have just become that bit more difficult going forward following an announcement from the Premier League. As confirmed in a statement on Monday morning, PUMA will become the official ball supplier for the Premier League, with that partnership starting from the summer of 2025.

Arteta has previously had choice words for balls supplied by the German company with the Gunners head coach saying it impacted his side's poor performance in front of goal against Newcastle in a Carabao Cup semi-final first leg earlier this year.

"Nothing, just try and show them and give them tips of what we can do better," he initially said at a press conference when asked about how to improve finishing. "I think we kicked a lot of the balls over the bar and it's tricky that this ball flies a lot. We discussed that as well, so there are details that we can do better.

"It's just different, it's just very different to the Premier League ball, and you have to adapt to that because it flies different. When you touch it, the grip is very different as well, so you have to adapt to that.

"But in the end, that's gone, there is no way back, it's about the next game, and that's our world, the reality of our world." Arteta's comments were mostly laughed at by football fans, but Pep Guardiola is seemingly in agreement with the Manchester City boss making that point on two separate occasions.

"The ball in the Champions League is exceptional, the ball in the Premier League is exceptional, this one [in the FA Cup] isn't," he said after the 3-1 FA Cup win over Plymouth Argyle.

"It's difficult to control. When you lose it [sounds like] you're complaining, but the ball is not right. In many years it's happened in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, I know it's a business and they come to agreements.

"You know how many shots went over? Look at other games. Normally the ball goes inside from these shots." Nike have been the providers for Premier League balls over the last few years but PUMA will now take over that role going forward.

One potential saving grace for Arteta and Co. however, is that his players will have plenty of time to get familiar with the balls in pre-season and training.

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