Tuesday, 30th August, 2011
German international Per Mertesacker is set to leave Bundesliga outfit Werder Bremen for Arsenal.
According to sources in Germany, the 26-year-old has been in talks with the Gunners and will pen a contract worth €4.7M annually running until 2015 later today, following a medical.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who has come under severe pressure following the departure of key players Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, combined with Arsenal’s 8-2 loss against Manchester United at the weekend, is said to have paid around €10M for the centre back.
Mertesacker himself openly confessed only recently that he would welcome the opportunity to move to the English Premier League, stating: "For a national player it is a good thing to gain experience of playing abroad. I have said that England excites me."
With 75 caps for Germany’s national team under his belt and experience as Bremen’s captain, the Gunners will be confident this new addition will add much needed strength to their ranks.
All that remains is for the defender, who had just a year left to run on his deal with Werder Bremen, to pass a medical. That will take place later today and Mertesacker should be an Arsenal player imminently.
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