Arsenal Skipper Per Mertesacker Explains How He Came To Difficult Decision

By The Editor
on 12th July 2017

Per Mertesacker explains reasons behind retirement…

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Arsenal skipper Per Mertesacker admitted that it came as a surprise to him when the club offered him the role of heading up the academy, but the German veteran is looking to thrive in that role.

This coming season will represent his last as a footballer, a decision he felt comes at the right time and that, more importantly, he made for himself.

Top-level athletes often repeat the slogan that ‘you don’t retire from the game, the game retires you’, but Mertesacker stated that it was always a personal goal to call it a day on his own terms.

As he did after lifting the World Cup in 2014 with his retirement from international, Mertesacker will be bowing out of the game at the top level.

“The decision of whether I want to stop or not was difficult at the time,” Mertesacker told the press after landing in Australia.

“I have been fortunate enough to play more than 15 years in professional football and to make my own decision on when to stop is something I always wanted to do.

Having won three FA Cups during his time with us, Mertesacker will surely be hoping to help end our Premier League drought and bring home the first title in 14 years.