Arsenal announce Mertesacker to step down from academy role | OneFootball

Arsenal have announced that Per Mertesacker will step down from his role as the club’s Academy Manager at the end of the season.

The German will leave his position in theArsenal academy after eight years. Mertesacker took up the role after his retirement in 2018 and the 41-year-old has overseen a successful period of progress in North London.

Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman are among the Hale End graduates to have progressed to the senior set-up and playPremier League football during Mertesacker's time leading the club's youth development.

He has now announced the 'difficult decision' to depart and thanked the club for their support in his transition from first-team player to development lead. Discussing his decision, Mertesacker said it was time for 'something new' after 15 years atArsenal as a player and staff.

“Arsenal is and will always be a very special club to me, so this was a difficult decision," Mertesacker toldArsenal.com.

"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."

Mertesacker will remain in charge of the academy until the end of the 2025-26 season, allowingArsenal time to finalise a successor.

Arsenal’s Chief Executive Officer, Richard Garlick, said the club were 'incredibly sad' to see Mertesacker leave.

“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 whatArsenal 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."