Per Mertesacker was brought to Arsenal in 2011 from Werder Bremen. Only this week, the two-meter tall German leaves the club, i.e. after 15 years with the Gunners. A difficult decision was made, but the 41-year-old is looking for a job that brings new challenges.
Mertesacker ended his playing career at Arsenal in 2018 and went straight into a role in the London club’s academy. The German has been the academy’s leader for eight years, impressive in itself. A job he will retire from at the end of the season.
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“Arsenal is and will always be a very special club for me, so this was a difficult decision. I am very grateful for the trust the club gave me when I went from being a first-team player straight to the role of academy leader. Now it’s time for me to move on and explore something new and challenge myself even more,” Mertesacker told Arsenal’s website.
Mertesacker will complete his assignment until the summer, and in the meantime, Arsenal will find a replacement for the position.
“We support Per’s decision to pursue a new career, but we will be incredibly saddened when he leaves the club at the end of the season,” said Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick.
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During Mertesacker’s tenure as academy director, Arsenal’s first team has opened the door to several academy players, such as Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. The German retires knowing that he has helped build the Premier League’s second-best/best club.
