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Michael Ballack says Arsenal have a ‘really great guy’ on their books
Arsenal academy manager Per Mertesacker has been described by Michael Ballack as a “really great guy”.
Ballack, speaking on the , says he loved playing alongside the Gunners coach and said he was also great to have in the dressing room.
Mertesacker is an icon at both Arsenal and within the Germany national team.
He made 221 competitive appearances for the Gunners before stepping up to coaching at Hale End after retiring in 2018.
Mertesacker has overseen the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe successfully make the step up from the Arsenal academy to the first team.
The 39-year-old also won 104 caps for the Germany national team, making him the 11th most-capped player in their history.
Mertesacker helped his nation the 2014 World Cup, while for Arsenal, he lifted three FA Cups and two Community Shields.
Ballack, who made alongside Mertesacker, had some very kind things to say about the Arsenal cult hero.
Arsenal icon Per Mertesacker is ‘one of the great characters in German football’
Jeff Stelling, who hosts the podcast, also praised Mertesacker.
He said: “I’ll tell you who did his career being loved actually I think he was loved throughout his time in England and that’s Per Mertesacker.
“Rather like [Jurgen] Klinsmann, absolultely adored by the English public I think.
Ballack replied: “Yeah, a really great guy. A simple guy, I played with him, I loved playing with him but even more to share the dressing room with him because he was easy to handle, he was a solid player.
“He knew exactly what he can do, but what he can’t do as well.
Stelling then asked: “Was he easier to handle than John Terry?”
And Ballack replied: “I think so! John was also a leader, a different personality than Per.
“But Per also grew with time and also with the move to England. That gave him another boost personally as a human being.
“When I saw him after, I’ve seen him today on TV, I mean he adapted really well at Arsenal it became his home, even after his career.
“That shows that he understood that it’s not just a life on the pitch, also off the pitch after and he made his move really smartly and I congratulate him for that. He’s one of the great characters in German football.”
Arsenal icon Per Mertesacker getting his deserved flowers
It’s great to see Mertesacker earn such high praise from both Ballack and Stelling.
He was great for Arsenal as a player and is great for the Gunners as their academy manager.
We’ve seen some amazing talents come through the ranks and become stars at Arsenal, and it looks as though there are plenty more to come.