Arsenal academy chief Mertesacker: We lost our way with transfer approach | OneFootball

Arsenal academy chief Per Mertesacker says they "lost their way" over transfer policy under former manager Arsene Wenger.

The German was signed by Wenger in 2011 and won three FA Cups at Arsenal during his career, but the club has taken a very different direction since their former boss left in 2018.

Commenting on the change in strategy, Mertesacker told Suddeutsche: "We are in a state of upheaval and are building a team capable of development, which should be peppered with players from our own youth and professionals from abroad.

"In the meantime, we had lost our way. We tried to make the connection to the top faster with costly commitments. We fell on our face with that."

It is estimated that Wenger spent £690m in 22 years at Arsenal, whereas Arteta has already spent £225m since the Spaniard's appointment in December 2019.

Mertesacker continued: "It is not easy to find successors who bring good ideas and who at the same time involve club employees.

"Mikel has a different knit than Arsene, is intense and focused. He tries to be very active as a trainer, to respond to the new generation and to clearly show what is required.

"The current generation needs more requirements, while in my time much more was regulated in dialogue with one another."