Former Arsenal and Germany defender Per Mertesacker has announced that he will step down as Head of Arsenal’s Academy at the end of the season.
According to Fabrizio Romano’s X handle on Monday, Mertesacker was quoted as saying, “Arsenal is and will always be a very special club to me, so this was a difficult decision. I am very thankful for the trust the club put in me.”
Since taking over the academy, Mertesacker has been instrumental in developing young talents, helping to strengthen Arsenal’s pipeline of players for the first team.
The club has yet to announce a replacement, but Mertesacker’s departure marks the end of an important chapter in Arsenal’s youth development programme.