We are delighted to announce the appointment of Pascal De Maesschalck as our new Academy Director.
Pascal will officially join the club on August 1 from French club Strasbourg, where he has served as Technical Director since 2024.
Prior to his time at Strasbourg, Pascal held senior leadership roles in youth development across European football. He spent three years as Director of Youth Development at AS Monaco, following a highly successful 10-year spell as Head of Academy at Belgian side Club Brugge, where he established a strong reputation for developing young talent and creating clear pathways to first-team football.
As our Academy Director, Pascal will lead our academy programme, overseeing the development of our young players while helping to further strengthen our recruitment of outstanding young talent from across the UK and around the world. His appointment reflects our continued commitment to building one of the world's leading academies and ensuring talented young players have the environment, support and opportunities to reach their full potential.
Sporting Director Andrea Berta said: "We are delighted to welcome Pascal to Arsenal. He brings extensive experience from some of Europe's leading football clubs and has an outstanding track record in youth development.
"We are excited to have him with us as we continue to build for the future, developing young players and identifying the best emerging talent to join Arsenal on a journey towards professional football.
Pascal succeeds Per Mertesacker, who left the club at the end of last season after eight years in the role.
Everyone at Arsenal welcomes Pascal to the club and looks forward to the leadership, experience and vision he will bring as we continue to develop the next generation of Arsenal players.
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