Strategic shift: Mertesacker trades Arsenal academy for DFB sport helm
Per Mertesacker will depart Arsenal at the close of the 2025/26 season and, from the start of next year, will take up the German Football Association’s post as Managing Director of Sport, the DFB confirmed, marking a rare move from a Premier League academy chief to a senior federation role.
During eight years in north London, Mertesacker oversaw Arsenal’s Academy, guiding a generation of players and shaping the club’s youth pathway. The Gunners announced his exit earlier this year and named Pascal De Maesschalck as his successor, renaming the position Academy Director.
De Maesschalck arrives from Strasbourg after previous stints as academy manager at Club Brugge and AS Monaco, signalling continuity in Arsenal’s youth strategy while the club looks ahead with a new Academy Director.
At the German Football Association, Mertesacker will replace Andreas Rettig, whose contract runs until the close of 2026. The DFB highlighted his experience in youth development as a key factor in the appointment.
In his new capacity, Mertesacker will oversee both the senior national team and the entire youth system, with the DFB expecting him to shape policies from grassroots to the senior squad.
“I am very much looking forward to this new task and the responsibility that comes with it,” Mertesacker said. “My connection to the DFB never broke off, even after the end of my national team career… It is an honor for me to be able to help shape and further develop the DFB on this path.”
The announcement was accompanied by a photo shared via Arsenal Academy on Twitter and another image posted by Monaco Life, both highlighting Mertesacker’s long‑standing ties to youth development.
While Arsenal prepares for the future under De Maesschalck, the German Football Association gains a former Premier League academy chief to steer its national programmes, illustrating how both organisations are poised for fresh strategic directions and a shared commitment to nurturing future football talent.