Arsenal’s academy manager Per Mertesacker has announced he will leave at the end of the season after eight years in the role. The former German international and Arsenal player has overseen the club's men’s academy since 2018. He said: “Arsenal is and will always be a very special club to me, so this was a difficult decision. “We were fortunate to have retained Per as Academy Manager once he finished his playing career with us in 2018. “We’re happy that Per remains in role until the end of the season whilst we focus on our succession plan.

Source: Irish Examiner January 12, 2026 15:10 UTC