The real reason Per Mertesacker is leaving Arsenal: Why a trip to New York meant club insiders knew he was on the way out, how ‘widely admired’ academy chief will be missed at Hale End and the change Gunners want to see from his successor
When Per Mertesacker informed the Arsenal hierarchy that he would be stepping down as academy director, Mikel Arteta felt the news with some force.
Mertesacker and Arteta arrived in north London together as players in the summer of 2011, two very different characters embarking on what would become parallel journeys through Arsenal’s modern history.
Fifteen years later, with both progressing to full roles at the club – one as manager, the other as Hale End caretaker – this long-standing relationship has reached its conclusion.
Daily Mail Sport It appears the news of Mertesacker’s impending departure at the end of the season, announced last week, was not a complete shock. A few Arsenal insiders were aware of the possibility of Mertesacker’s departure last year.
The 41-year-old embarked on technical director training in early 2024, which he completed last summer and which involved a trip to New York. The program focused on board leadership, managing high-performance teams and developing organizational culture.
Those around the club therefore saw that it was inevitable that the German would pursue his ambitions at director level.
Per Mertesacker has been an integral part of Arsenal since becoming academy director in 2018.
But the German (right, with his compatriot Kai Havertz) wants to reach higher positions and is leaving at the end of the season.
It is understood that Arsenal are considering moving towards a replacement with experience in foreign markets – notably in Europe and South America – as the club looks to better exploit an area which has arguably not been fully utilized in recent years.
As reported last month, the Gunners have signed 16-year-old Ecuadorian twins Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente del Valle. Both men will join the club next season at the age of 18. Expect increased attention in the international market for elite young talent in the future.
Sources claim that Mertesacker had seen former Arsenal loan officer Ben Knapper embark on a similar path before leaving the club to become sporting director of Norwich City in November 2023, and was keen to continue his progression himself – something that was unlikely to materialize at Arsenal.
Knapper undertook a master’s degree in sports leadership at Manchester Metropolitan University between 2018 and 2021, a qualification which helped prepare him for this promotion.
For Mertesacker, with Andrea Berta installed as sporting director and James King named technical director last year, there was no clear path to progress through the hierarchy.
There have already been reports in Germany linking the former World Cup winner with a managerial role in the German FA.
Whether it came out of nowhere or not, Mertesacker’s departure is one that many at the north London club are processing slowly. From junior members of staff to managers, the Gunners’ BFG (Big Friendly German) is widely admired and respected, a driving force behind much good at Hale End over the past eight years.
It is Mertesacker’s impact on culture and well-being that is considered his most lasting legacy. He is concerned with producing well-rounded young men, ready to either enter the professional ranks or live a life beyond football.
Mertesacker, who played for Arsenal between 2011 and 2018, does not see a clear path forward in Arsenal’s new hierarchy.
Mertesacker (seen lifting the FA Cup in 2017) is renowned for his human side, often being the go-to man for the parents of candidates released from the academy.
Becoming a footballer is not seen by the 6ft 6in former centre-back as the ultimate solution in life. This perspective has helped create an environment in which character and education are valued as much as talent.
A source said Daily Mail Sport: “He has done well in terms of player mindset and culture change.
“If you contact him, he is the quickest person at Arsenal to respond to you. You send him an email, an SMS, he will respond within 24 hours. No one else is like that at the club.
“He is very good with parents. If you are a parent and your son gets a scholarship or contract, he is the one who tells you. But if your son is released, he is also the one who tells you.
“Per told me on a call that he (my player) was going to be released. He explained it to me and he supported the player. He gave his views on what they can do in the future. He is a very professional person, empathetic, direct, a very good communicator.
“I of course didn’t want that (Arsenal not extending the player’s contract) but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he’s a good person doing a difficult job.”
Hale End’s highlights in recent years include producing elite talent which Arteta has exploited, saving the club millions in transfer fees.
Among them are Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Max Dowman, starlets poised for very promising careers. However, not everything was plain sailing on the pitch.
In the under-18s, under-19s and under-21s, the Gunners have won just two matches since September 23: the under-19s beat Bayern Munich 4-2 in the UEFA Youth League and the under-18s beat Mansfield Town 4-1 in the FA Youth Cup.
Myles Lewis-Skelly (left) and Bukayo Saka are among the most impressive Hale End graduates of recent years
In total, that’s 23 games, two wins, including the Under-21s’ defeat to Liverpool 7-0 on Saturday. The general philosophy is that the production of one or two first-team level players from an academy cohort outweighs the results of the youth team. Despite this, such a poor record is far from ideal.
There is also a feeling that Arsenal stand to generate greater revenue from academy players who are not up to par at first-team level, particularly when compared to their rivals.
The Gunners have raised significant funds in recent seasons through the sales of academy alumni such as Folarin Balogun (£34m to Monaco in August 2023), Emile Smith Rowe (£34m to Fulham in August 2024) and Eddie Nketiah (£30m to Crystal Palace in August 2024).
Yet Manchester City and Chelsea’s ability to systematically monetize their academies is on a different scale, and it’s an area where Arsenal know they need to improve.
For now, Mertesacker is focused on finishing his tenure in the professional manner he has exemplified throughout his time at the club.
We will miss his affable nature and inviting attitude. Whoever replaces him will have an important task to accomplish: not only developing talent, but also preserving the culture that Mertesacker leaves behind.