Per Mertesacker has played an integral role in the success of Arsenal’s academy in recent years.
The former Gunners defender was appointed academy manager in the summer of 2018 and has overseen a transformation in the quality and quantity of Hale End academy graduates in recent years.
The likes of Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson all rose through the system in Unai Emery’s tenure, before Bukayo Saka spectacularly burst onto the scene under Mikel Arteta.
This season, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have broken into the first team, while plenty more talented youngsters are bubbling under the surface and waiting for their opportunity.
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Bukayo Saka and Ethan Nwaneri speak to Per Mertesacker in heartwarming video
Mertesacker has been key to the improvements made in Arsenal’s academy and has clearly built a close bond with many of those who have developed at the club and enjoyed success in the first team.
In a video posted by Arsenal’s social media team, Hale End graduates Saka and Nwaneri called Mertesacker to check in on the German.
“No matter how busy you are, you’re never too busy to send a message or something, so I think it’s nice and, even myself, I can do it more, I guess,” Saka said, before dialling Mertesacker’s number.
“I haven’t spoken to you in a long time, so just checking on you,” Nwaneri told the academy manager.
Mertesacker responded to the call with a heartfelt message towards the two Arsenal stars.
“You two guys, love you to bits,” he said.
“Keep doing what you’re doing, bringing value to other people, and appreciating others. That’s what you do on a daily basis, keep doing that and be the best teammates, yeah.
“Keep supporting each other in good moments and in bad moments, when it gets tough, and keep checking on me because I will check on you, alright?”
Evidently a charismatic figure with strong people skills, it’s no surprise that Mertesacker has enjoyed such an impressive post-retirement career.
Max Dowman is the next Hale End star set to break into Arsenal’s first team
Mertesacker and those working within Hale End may have unearthed another potentially world-class gem.
Max Dowman is expected to be involved in Arsenal’s upcoming pre-season, with the 15-year-old making waves in the academy with his impressive displays at youth level.
The starlet boasts exceptional technical ability, while he’s capable of gliding past defenders a few years older than himself with ease.
Evidently too good for under-18 level, Dowman needs to be playing predominantly in the under-21s next season to continue his development, or even be granted some minutes in the first team.
The sky appears to be the limit for the player, and he could end up saving Arsenal millions in the transfer market, which is essentially the primary goal of an academy.
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