Thursday, September 1, 2011

Mertesacker Forces His Way From Werder, Says: 'Arsenal Is A Dream Come True'

Werder Bremen have officially acknowledged the transfer of their former center back and skipper Per Mertesacker to Arsenal.

The giant defensive minded player's beacon has being on the Gunners radar for some years now, and the possible defensive partnerships that could be fostered or experimented with by Arsene Wenger is something the supporters eagerly anticipate at the Grove.

The 26-year-old Germany international's ex-club spoke of Per's determination to join Arsenal, and maintains there was absolutely nothing they could do to keep him once Arsenal had matched their valuation: "Per expressed the desire to transfer now. And we have always said that if the conditions are in order then we would approve such a transfer," said Werder manager Klaus Allofs.

"After our previous transfers, we are still well situated with centre backs."

However, Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf spoke from a managerial point of view: "On the one hand it's sad because we still had a lot that we wanted to achieve with Per. On the other hand, we knew how much he is interested in the English league. We have had a good working relationship and wish Per all the best with Arsenal."

The defender in question thanked the club and his well-wishers for their support during his stay in the Bundesliga. Mertesacker is eager to prove his mettle in the Premier League in the red and white of the Arsenal: "I had a great time with Werder and I have a lot to thank the club for. With this transfer to London a dream has come true, taking another step in my career. I have always considered the English Premier League an intriguing challenge," Mertesacker enthused in respect to his transfer.