Per Mertesacker, Academy Manager

[BS221B]

Wengers giving reward to Mertes_cker for his services.

[GoonerAlexandre]

Great news, good defender with experience that can help us over the line in winning the CL

[Big17]

Makes no sense. Unlike Arteta who actually added something to the dressing room this guy hasn't even been around when he's been injured ffs.

Get rid, free up his wages. We have enough cover.

[UFGN]

It begs the question, what would it have taken not to extend his contact?

How useless would he have to have been?

[Nuggets]

Great news, good defender with experience that can help us over the line in winning the CL

Yea right

[MecurialGooner]

It begs the question, what would it have taken not to extend his contact?

How useless would he have to have been?

lol good question

[EliteKiller]

Great news, good defender with experience that can help us over the line in winning the CL

As he has for the past 5 years? .... to me it's just 3.5m thrown away .... it's also telling any young CB that we have that we'd rather play a 32 year old than give them a chance .... makes no sense at all ....

[Angelito]

Why waste the wages then? We keep everyone too long since Vieira, Gilberto and Henry who we let go too soon.

Disagree about Henry. He left in the right time. He'd already gone stale at Arsenal. Would have been a classic case of living long enough to die a villain.

It's pretty amazing though - we missed Vieira and Gilberto more than we missed Henry.

[LMAO]

Why though? This is an unnecessary extension. I had completely forgotten Per was still at the club.

I could understand if he were Barzagli or Chiellini and we wanted to extend an aging CB, but Per doesn't offer much of anything anymore.

[Santi]

Changed my mind now, as I said in the other thread, would we get a player of his quality who can sit and be 4th choice for 3.5m? One who settles instantly and brings the same calming qualities and presence?

Merts knows the team, he's a senior figure and keeping him around for 1 more year if we're loaning Chambers and Holding is actually fine. We already have our first choice CB's and a capable backup in Gabs so letting Merts go is pointless when we'd only have to replace him and we'd all be complaining when we don't.

1 less hassle for the summer, no biggie after all.

[Arsenal Tone]

Changed my mind now, as I said in the other thread, would we get a player of his quality who can sit and be 4th choice for 3.5m? One who settles instantly and brings the same calming qualities and presence?

Merts knows the team, he's a senior figure and keeping him around for 1 more year if we're loaning Chambers and Holding is actually fine. We already have our first choice CB's and a capable backup in Gabs so letting Merts go is pointless when we'd only have to replace him and we'd all be complaining when we don't.

1 less hassle for the summer, no biggie after all.

Spot on

[Zedie]

Changed my mind now, as I said in the other thread, would we get a player of his quality who can sit and be 4th choice for 3.5m? One who settles instantly and brings the same calming qualities and presence?

Merts knows the team, he's a senior figure and keeping him around for 1 more year if we're loaning Chambers and Holding is actually fine. We already have our first choice CB's and a capable backup in Gabs so letting Merts go is pointless when we'd only have to replace him and we'd all be complaining when we don't.

1 less hassle for the summer, no biggie after all.

Went through the same process tbf. We have enough youngsters to fill in if it came to it, ie chambers getting vital experience out on loan.

Merts will still have the same pace when he's 60, so that won't diminish. It's not the worst situation to have:

Kos
Mustafi
Gabriel
Mertesacker

For two positions.

Calmed down a lot from the initial annoyance of the news.

[ESR10]

I wouldn't be surprised, if Wenger played him ahead of Gabriel

[GoonerAlexandre]

Great news, good defender with experience that can help us over the line in winning the CL

So after calming down, everyone agrees with me

[Arsenal Tone]

Won't be a popular opinion, but I think we're missing merts.