In a recent interview, Arsenal’s Per Mertesacker, who was bought from Werder Bremen in 2011 for around £8m has talked about life in England beyond his playing career. The 31-year-old defender is now a first choice centre-back at the heart of the Gunners’ defence alongside Laurent Koscielny. The big German international recently turned 31 and signed a new contract in May 2014, which will now keep him at the Emirates until June 2017.
Speaking to Kicker prior to Tuesday’s huge Champions League clash, which Arsene Wenger’s side won by a 2-0 scoreline against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at home, he said, “When we came here, it was just a one-time thing. As we said, we definitely wanted to go back to Germany. That has changed a bit now.”
“We are here as a family, the children go to school, growing up bilingual. We have to decide when the time comes. Germany is sensational, and we can always imagine a return, but now the idea of staying here is, to us, appealing”