3 Arsenal Stars Could Still Miss Out on Premier League Winners’ Medals
- Arsenal have secured the Premier League title after Manchester City dropped points against Bournemouth, sealing the championship ahead of the final weekend
- Several squad members could miss out on winners’ medals due to Premier League rules requiring a minimum number of league appearances for automatic eligibility
- While some young players are set to be rewarded for their contributions, others who featured mainly in cup competitions may face disappointment over medal allocation
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Arsenal secured the Premier League title on Tuesday evening after Manchester City failed to beat AFC Bournemouth, meaning the Gunners are now uncatchable heading into the final weekend of the season.
Although the title has been confirmed, Arsenal will not lift the trophy in front of their home supporters, though the achievement ends a 22-year wait for a Premier League crown.
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Mikel Arteta has become only the second person to both play in and win the Premier League as a manager, with key contributions this season coming from players such as Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhães, and David Raya.
Arsenal players not guaranteed a Premier League medal
Two young players who have featured in domestic cup competitions may not receive a Premier League winners’ medal if Arsenal go on to be officially crowned champions. Defender Marli Salmon and goalkeeper Tommy Setford have both played in the FA Cup this season but are yet to make a league appearance.
Under current Premier League rules, clubs are required to award medals only to players who make at least five league appearances. That means both youngsters could miss out.
One player who has attracted attention this season is 16-year-old Max Dowman. The youngster scored his first Premier League goal against Everton, although that came in only his third league appearance. However, he has now reached five appearances overall, meaning he will qualify for a medal when Arsenal receive theirs.
The most senior player at risk of missing out is Kepa Arrizabalaga, who has not played in the league since joining Arsenal in the summer transfer window. He has featured mainly in cup competitions, with David Raya preferred in Premier League matches.
Premier League rule means Arsenal have flexibility
Even if players do not meet the five-game requirement, the champions are allocated 40 medals to distribute among players, staff, and management as they see fit.
However, only players who meet the minimum appearance threshold are automatically entitled to a medal.
Any additional medals beyond the 40 can only be approved by the Premier League Board, and this would only be considered if an unusually large number of players (39 or more) made five-plus appearances.
As a result, players like Kepa may still be waiting to see whether they are rewarded despite falling short of the required league appearances.
Source: YEN.com.gh
