Arsenal Academy Coach Max Porter
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Arsenal have confirmed Max Porter as the new head coach of their Under-21 squad, continuing the club’s tradition of promoting from within to nurture both players and staff.
The appointment follows the departure of former U21 boss Mehmet Ali, who joined Brentford’s first-team coaching staff earlier this summer. Porter, who stepped in as interim coach alongside Ken Gillard after Ali’s exit, now takes the role on a permanent basis.
A former professional footballer with years of experience in the Football League and non-league, Porter joined Arsenal’s academy in 2017 as Under-9s coach.
Since then, he has progressed through multiple age groups, including head coaching roles for the U13s, U17s and U19s, as well as serving as youth development phase lead coach. Most recently, he was Ali’s assistant for the U21s and led the U19s in the UEFA Youth League.
Porter’s appointment ends speculation linking former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere to the position. Wilshere, who guided the U18s to the 2023 FA Youth Cup final, explored a potential U19 coaching role and U21 support duties but chose to pursue senior football management instead.
Arsenal academy manager Per Mertesacker praised Porter’s promotion, calling him “a brilliant colleague and coach” who creates “an environment of high challenge and ultimate care” for players and staff.
Porter will lead a side featuring highly rated talents such as Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Max Dowman in the 2025/26 Premier League 2 campaign. The U21s opened their season with a narrow 3-2 defeat to Fulham at Meadow Park on Saturday.
“I’m excited to take on this role and continue helping our young players progress towards the first team,” Porter said, reflecting on his work developing academy graduates who have already broken into senior football.
With his appointment, Arsenal reinforce their commitment to a long-standing philosophy of developing not just players but also coaches through the club’s academy system.