Per Mertesacker received an emotional send-off from English top club Arsenal.
Before the 3-0 victory against FC Fulham on Saturday, the 2014 German World Cup winner, who announced his departure after eight years as head of the Premier League club’s youth academy in January, was presented with a silver cannon by Gunners managing director Richard Garlick.
After the match, team manager Mikel Arteta waxed lyrical. «He is a legend of this club,» said the Spaniard of Mertesacker, who played for the Gunners from 2011 to 2018 and was responsible for talent development after his playing career ended.
Mertesacker Seeks New Challenge
«I think what he has achieved as a player, and then what he has done for the club in the academy and at all levels, is simply unbelievable,» Arteta said. His former teammate and friend leaves behind «a legacy that will endure here for a long time. As a person, he is one of the best I have met in football, and as a professional, he has made a big difference for many young players and their families, helping them to realize their dreams.»
Mertesacker, who also works as a TV pundit, is seeking a new professional challenge in the summer. It is not yet known where the 41-year-old will go.