Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Arsenal have picked up an option in Per Mertesacker‘s contract which will keep him at the club for one more year, as per Arsenal’s official website.
The German international’s current contract was supposed to expire this season but with the option of 1-year extension picked up the defender will stay at the Emirates for at least one more season.
The 32-year-old is yet to play for the North London club this season since taking over the club captaincy in August and the centre-back is still few more weeks away from returning to action.
There were reports over the past few weeks that the German might be sent on loan this month after falling down the pecking order with the signing of Mustafi.
However, Wenger confirmed that the defender will stay at the Gunners for one more year, while also re-affirming that his experience will help the club.
Speaking to Arsenal Player, he said:
“He is a leader of the team and he is also one of the four centre backs who has experience and can guide the team.”
“There were no negotiations in fact, because he had an option for extension. So it’s not really a new contract, it’s just an extension of the old one. We had to take that option early in the season and the decision was made quite easily.”
“On the pitch he has his own technical attributes, that is his reading of the game, his intelligence, his guidance. He’s good in the air because of his size.”
The German defender, who will reportedly earn £70,000-a-week, is currently the fourth choice center back and it seems Wenger’s reasons for extending his contract is primarily to do with his experience and dressing room influence.
His present extension is likely to be the last as he will be 34 by next summer and might have to call time on his Arsenal career then. Moving back to Germany back to his old club Werder Bremen seems like the most likely destination for him.
The German always puts the interest and stability of the team above his own and most importantly and having an experienced figure like him in the dressing room will only help and it would be delightful if he gets to lift the League trophy before his likely departure,
