Arsenal poach academy chief from Chelsea owners’ BlueCo network | OneFootball

Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of Pascal De Maesschalck as the club’s new academy director.

He will officially join Arsenal on August 1 from French club Strasbourg, owned by Chelsea’s owners BlueCo, where he been technical director since 2024.

De Maesschalck succeeds Per Mertesacker, who left Arsenal at the end of last season after eight years in the role.

“We are delighted to welcome Pascal to Arsenal,” Sporting director Andrea Berta said. “He brings extensive experience from some of Europe’s leading football clubs and has an outstanding track record in youth development. 

“We are excited to have him with us as we continue to build for the future, developing young players and identifying the best emerging talent to join Arsenal on a journey towards professional football.”

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