Arsenal academy chief to start for TSV Pattensen in anniversary match against Hannover 96
MUNICH, GERMANY - APRIL 03: Fussball: 1. Bundesliga 03/04, Muenchen; TSV 1860 Muenchen - Hannover 96; Per MERTESACKER / Hannover haelt sich den Fuss 03.04.04. (Photo by Christian Fischer/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Photo by Christian Fischer/Bongarts/Getty Images
Per Mertesacker, the towering former Arsenal defender and current head of the club’s academy, is preparing for an unexpected return to the pitch – but only for half an hour.
Now 40, Mertesacker has agreed to start for his boyhood club TSV Pattensen in a celebratory fixture against Hannover 96, the club where he began his professional career, to mark Pattensen’s 135th anniversary on 27 June.
Speaking to Segeberger Zeitung, Mertesacker said, “I’m halfway in shape.”
According to local reports, the 2014 World Cup winner has been keeping fit by occasionally training with Arsenal’s under-16 side.
HANOVER, GERMANY - MAY 02: Per Mertesacker of Hanover looks drinks after the Bundesliga match between Hanover 96 and Borussia Dortmund at the AWD Arena on May 2, 2006 in Hanover, Germany. (Photo by Friedemann Vogel/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Photo by Friedemann Vogel/Bongarts/Getty Images
While his return may thrill fans of the Lower Saxon club, Mertesacker was quick to shut down any suggestion of a more permanent move. “That’s out of the question for me. But my passport is still with TSV, I think,” he added.
Nicknamed “Big f**cking German” during his time in North London, Mertesacker earned a cult following for his intelligent defending and leadership. His final professional appearance came in the 2017–18 FA Cup campaign, after which he moved directly into his current post overseeing Arsenal’s youth development.
Although his playing days are firmly in the past, Mertesacker’s brief cameo for Pattensen will be welcomed by supporters keen to celebrate one of their most distinguished alumni.
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