Arsenal chief Per Mertesacker is part of a ‘three-way battle’ with Sami Khedira and FC Union Berlin’s Oliver Ruhnert for the vacant sports director role with the German national side.
That’s according to BILD, who cover the situation today and the developing ‘fight’ for the position between three leading candidates.
They explain that the DFB are on the hunt for someone who can act as a ‘second doer’, with the plan for the future sports director to ‘take care’ of the youth academy and develop a ‘future strategy’ for the nation’s prospects.
He’s competing for the role against former Germany midfielder Sami Khedira and Union’s Oliver Ruhnert but the Gunners chief has one ‘advantage’ over them.
That is the ‘experience in the junior sector’ that Mertesacker can boast having been in charge of Arsenal’s academy since 2018 after retiring that year.
Since then, several Arsenal youngsters have gone on to star in the first team, with Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson all currently a part of Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad.
That has seemingly not gone unnoticed by Germany, who seemingly value the experience he’s been gaining at the Emirates over the last five years.
