BREAKING - Arsenal chief to quit role at end of season as statement released

Arsenal’s Academy Manager, Per Mertesacker, will step down at the end of the season. The completion of his eighth year sees a run that has produced some of the best talent in the club’s history.

From helping pave the pathways of Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Max Dowman, Mertesacker is seen as a very popular member of the club’s structure. He’s seen former players Jack Wilshere and Adam Birchall oversee coaching roles in the club’s setup and worked closely with manager Mikel Arteta.

He also helped during the managerial transition between Unai Emery and Arteta, working with Freddie Ljungberg as part of his backroom staff. A former player and centre-half, winning of multiple FA Cups, Mertesacker’s understanding of the club and appreciation of it's value wills be difficult to replace.

“Arsenal is and will always be a very special club to me, so this was a difficult decision,” Mertesacker said in a statement on the Arsenal website. “I am very thankful for the trust the club put in me when transitioning from a first-team player directly into the role as Head of Academy.

“Now it is time for me to move on and explore something new and push myself even further. I remain focused on finishing the season strongly, continuing to nurture and develop our young talent and support a seamless transition until my very last day with the club."

Richard Garlick, the club CEO said: “We support Per’s decision to pursue something new, but we will be incredibly sad to see him leave at the end of the season.

“We were fortunate to have retained Per as Academy Manager once he finished his playing career with us in 2018. He understands what Arsenal stands for and this has been a constant in his leadership - inspiring our Academy coaches, staff and young players in an Arsenal way and giving so many an opportunity to develop and shine.

“We’re happy that Per remains in role until the end of the season whilst we focus on our succession plan. We continue in our pursuit of winning major trophies with a sustained focus and investment in our Academy.”

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