Per Mertesacker is being lined up for a potential director role with the German Football Association when he steps down as Arsenal’s academy manager, according to reports in his homeland.
The 41-year-old took charge of Arsenal’s youth setup after calling time on his illustrious playing career back in 2018 and has earned himself plenty of admirers with his work in the job.
But Mertesacker, who lifted three FA Cups during his playing days with the Gunners, is keen to explore fresh opportunities elsewhere that will ‘push’ his capabilities ‘even further’.
The World Cup-winning German will, though, remain in his current position until the end of the 2025/26 season.
‘Arsenal is and will always be a very special club to me, so this was a difficult decision,’ Mertesacker told the club’s official 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.’
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Arsenal’s CEO Richard Garlick stressed that Mertesacker had the full backing of everyone at the club, writing: ‘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.’
According to German newspaper Bild, ‘there are already interested parties’ making themselves known in the days following Mertesacker’s announcement.
The report claims one possibility for Mertesacker on the horizon is the managing director role with the German Football Association (DFB), for which he is viewed as a ‘hot candidate’.
Mertesacker and Sami Khedira had been regarded as potential replacements when Oliver Bierhoff vacated his role as technical director of the national team after Germany’s group-stage exit at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, neither Mertesacker or Khedira could reach an agreement at the time and the DFB decided on a restructuring, with Andreas Rettig becoming managing director of sport and Rudi Voller appointed as sporting director.
Voller, who has since extended his contract as sporting director until 2028, has repeatedly put forward Mertesacker’s name as a possible successor to his throne.
This scenario would not be able to play out for at least another two-and-a-half years, though. The situation is different for the position of managing director of sport.
Rettig’s current contract runs through to December 31 2026 and though there had been some suggestions in April of last year that he could put pen to paper on a renewal, it has gone very quiet in recent months.
Interestingly, Rettig is responsible not only for Germany’s national teams but also the youth academy for the DFB – an area in which Mertesacker has built up a wealth of knowledge and experience at Arsenal.
The report adds that while Mertesacker plans to take an extended break from all football of at least a year, this could change if Germany come calling.
In the immediate future, though, the former Germany and Werder Bremen centre-back, affectionately nicknamed the ‘BFG’ by Arsenal fans, wants to remain in London, with his wife Ulrike and their five children.
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