Per Mertesacker is a familiar figure for Arsenal fans, but his current influence on the club may not be.
Although the towering centre-back retired from playing in the summer of 2018, that was not the end of his time at the club.
Encouraged by Arsenal ’s former manager Arsene Wenger and chief executive Ivan Gazidis, Mertesacker took up the role of academy manager in July 2018.
Over three years later, there are plenty of examples of his work. While most of it goes on behind the scenes, overseeing the development of countless youngsters, we occasionally get a glimpse behind the curtain.
That comes when one of Mertesacker’s youngsters makes the step up from the academy to the first team.
Arsenal have a long and proud history surrounding the route from the Hale End academy to the Emirates – and that was clear on Tuesday night in the 5-1 win over Sunderland.
"I am delighted,” Mikel Arteta beamed post-match after the latest academy graduate broke through in stylish fashion.
“But that’s down to all the work that has been done in the academy and for many years.
“Now it’s about finding the right moments to give them opportunities and finding the space in the squad to give them minutes.”
Here are the players who have made the step up under Mertesacker’s watch in the past three and a half years.
Charlie Patino
The apple of all Arsenal supporters’ eyes, 18-year-old midfielder Patino has been the subject of much hype this season, and he lived up to it immediately against Sunderland.
Given 10 minutes in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, Patino made the most of his debut by turning in Nicolas Pepe’s cross to net his first senior Arsenal goal.
"A beautiful moment. He is a kid that is coming through our system, a lovely kid. He is training with us almost every week. It was a dream," said Arteta.
"As a debut to come here, to score in front of our fans, a really special moment."
Arsenal paid Luton Town £10,000 to sign him when he was just 11 years old in 2015 and it seems he has a big future ahead with the Gunners.
Folarin Balogun
Balogun started against Sunderland on Tuesday night, but was outshone by Eddie Nketiah, who scored a wonderful hat-trick to take the headlines.
Balogun is a hugely exciting young striker in his own right, though, and Arsenal fought very hard to keep him earlier this year amid interest from many other clubs.
The 20-year-old has been with Arsenal for 12 years and signed a long-term contract in April, after making his first-team debut against Dundalk in October 2020.
Balogun was thrust into the spotlight at the start of the season when he started the opening game of the Premier League season against Brentford.
Ben Cottrell
Arsenal’s two legs against Dundalk in the Europa League late last year saw a handful of youngsters given the chance to step up.
Cottrell was one of them, coming off the bench in the second fixture in December 2020.
The 20-year-old is a fixture for the club’s Under-23s side, where his strong left foot and determination have stood out.
A loan move away from the club never materialised in the summer, but could well be the next step in his development.
Miguel Azeez
Like Balogun and Cottrell, Azeez made his debut against Dundalk last year. Unlike Cottrell, the 19-year-old was sent out on loan this season.
Azeez joined Portsmouth in the summer, where he has so far scored one goal in nine appearances.
Charlie Gilmour
Gilmour made his Arsenal bow in November 2018, against Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League.
That was one of just two appearances he made for the first time before he was released by the club in June 2019.
The 22-year-old joined Norwich, but two years later is now on loan with Alloa Athletic from St Johnstone.
Bukayo Saka
You know all about Saka, who is without doubt the most successful academy graduate at Arsenal in several years.
The 20-year-old has already made a staggering 108 appearances for the Gunners, in which time he’s scored 15 goals and recorded 25 assists.
Saka made his debut in November 2018, a few months into Mertesacker’s reign as academy boss and has blossomed into a brilliant and versatile player for club and country.
Now firmly established as a first-choice in Arteta’s side, he looks set to stay there for some time.
Emile Smith Rowe
Smith Rowe is another huge success story for Arsenal’s academy. He made his first team debut two months before Saka, but his breakthrough took longer.
The 21-year-old midfielder has already been on loan with RB Leipzig and Huddersfield, but it’s safe to say there won’t be another loan upcoming.
Having played in all the England age groups, Smith Rowe has progressed to Gareth Southgate’s senior side, where he grabbed his first international goal against San Marino in November.
