According toThe Athletic, Max Porter is set to be confirmed as Arsenal’s new under-21 head coach, continuing his steady rise through the Academy ranks.
Jack Wilshere, who coached the under-18s before leaving for Norwich last October, did hold talks about a return but is understood to have walked away when the club offered him responsibility for the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League and only a supporting role with the under-21s.
Porter has been sharing interim duties with Ken Gillard since Mehmet Ali departed in the summer to join Keith Andrews’ backroom staff at Brentford.
Porter, an ex-professional who played for the likes of Barnet and AFC Wimbledon, started working at Hale End in 2019 with the under-13s. He’s since worked his way up the age groups and was appointed Ali’s assistant in 2022.
While Arsenal are still expected to appoint someone to take charge of the under-19s, BBC Sport reports that Wilshere will instead turn his attention to landing his first senior managerial role.