Per Mertesacker has secured a new executive role after leaving Arsenal.
As per Sky Germany’s Florian Pettenberg, the former Arsenal captain and academy manager has agreed a deal to become the new Managing Director of Sport for the German Football Association (DFB).
The 2014 World Cup winner will succeed Andreas Rettig in January 2027, signing a contract through to the 2030 World Cup.
He will work alongside the new Germany head coach Jurgen Klopp, who has officially succeeded Julian Nagelsmann as national team manager.
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Mertesacker is considered a skilled communicator with excellent insight into youth development, and is expected to act as a bridge between the senior national team and Germany’s youth setup, working alongside youth director Hannes Wolf.
He was backed by prominent figures in German football including Uli Hoeness and Lothar Matthaus for the role.
Mertesacker left north London earlier this year, and has since been replaced by Pascal de Maesschalck as academy director.
Kai Havertz will be pleased about Per Mertesacker’s appointment
Germany had yet another disappointing World Cup this year, crashing out in the Round of 32 to Paraguay.
That was their third tournament in a row where they have failed to advance further than the Round of 16 — the last time being the one they won in 2014.
Arsenal striker Kai Havertz scored three goals in North America, but missed a penalty in the shootout defeat to Paraguay.
Havertz has not always felt universally supported in the German football environment, where expectations are high and patience can be short.
Mertesacker knows him well. He understands the German football pyramid from top to bottom, having spent years developing young talent at Arsenal and now stepping into a role that gives him genuine influence over how the national setup is run.
Klopp is a massive fan of Havertz too, so with him in charge the Arsenal striker finds himself with two powerful advocates pushing for him to be central to Germany’s rebuild ahead of the 2028 Euros and 2030 World Cup.
After a difficult season plagued by injuries, Havertz will be determined to hit the ground running this time round, and is already putting work in on the training ground.
Mikel Arteta will be leaning on him from the off next season, and will be hoping he is fit and firing off the back of the World Cup.
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