Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has sent a message to the club s young players as he prepares to become the new academy manager, saying: Talent means nothing to me .
The 32-year-old remains captain and has a year left on his playing contract at the Emirates Stadium, but the club confirmed in July he will take over as the head of youth development at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Arsene Wenger described Mertesacker as an inspirational figure for everyone connected with the academy when announcing his new role, and the former Germany international has already outlined his approach to bringing through the next generation.
Talent means nothing to me, it s all about hard work, Mertesacker told the Arsenal Magazine.
When asked about his attitude towards youn…