Per Mertesacker

Arsenal has always been special for me.

— Per Mertesacker

Football has taught me so much.

— Per Mertesacker

Things can change very fast in football.

— Per Mertesacker

I invested a lot in my fitness.

— Per Mertesacker

I loved the Olympics.

— Per Mertesacker

Every footballer has his ups and downs.

— Per Mertesacker

Living in London is very different to living in a little town in Germany.

— Per Mertesacker

You spend some time with kids, you always take something with you.

— Per Mertesacker

When you step up as a young talent, you need to challenge the old lads.

— Per Mertesacker

The first time in my career I thought it makes no sense anymore, that I'll retire.

— Per Mertesacker

You know what you have achieved and what you have been through.

— Per Mertesacker

Talent is what you make of your situation.

— Per Mertesacker

Moving abroad brings you on both as a player and a person.

— Per Mertesacker

I wasn't that good at football aged 14 or 15. I didn't take it too seriously.

— Per Mertesacker

In certain situations, players should protect themselves by not losing track of the most important things in their job.

— Per Mertesacker

Wenger has won three Premier League titles, which is proof enough of his standing as a manager.

— Per Mertesacker

I was lucky to get a professional contract. I wasn't that sort of talent that is considered to be a professional player.

— Per Mertesacker

Youngsters need self-esteem, simple targets in life which give energy. In the academy they can be so easily distracted by so many…

— Per Mertesacker

Arsenal is one of the top teams in Europe and I have been looking out for Arsenal since I got my first…

— Per Mertesacker

There are not a lot of German players out there who are successful in a foreign country.

— Per Mertesacker

At Arsenal you are replaceable so quickly as a player, I don't want to stand in someone's way.

— Per Mertesacker

In the moments before a game starts my stomach turns around as if I had to vomit. Then I have to choke…

— Per Mertesacker

Obviously, everyone looks at whether we bring young footballers into the first team, that's one of the goals. But I wouldn't discard…

— Per Mertesacker

When I played for Hannover I had several offers, also - as I have been told - from Hamburg, Bremen and Bayern.…

— Per Mertesacker

If Messi has the ball, he is fantastic to watch and difficult to stop. You have to double up on him, triple…

— Per Mertesacker

Some days you realise that everything is a burden, both physically and mentally. That it's not about fun, but you have to…

— Per Mertesacker

The amount of staff we have in academies is... I've never seen anything like it. It's good to take care of the…

— Per Mertesacker

I was fortunate to play under Thomas Schaaf at Bremen. And I played for Arsene Wenger. So I always felt, let's say,…

— Per Mertesacker

It is not only the skilful players who can make the difference in a game. It is as well players who just…

— Per Mertesacker

There are so many people around young kids nowadays it can make it very tough and difficult - people who think they…

— Per Mertesacker

I can't even count to five when I say my proper friends in football.

— Per Mertesacker

For a national player it is a good thing to get experience playing abroad.

— Per Mertesacker

Of course I have an advantage with my size on set pieces.

— Per Mertesacker

I want to show on the training pitch that I am ready whenever the manager needs me.

— Per Mertesacker

I was talented at a young age, but I still had to grow and develop further.

— Per Mertesacker

The more people that write me off, the stronger I get.

— Per Mertesacker

Playing at the highest level really is something special for me.

— Per Mertesacker

The first Premier League season is always tough for anyone.

— Per Mertesacker

In Germany I already know everything, I know every stadium.

— Per Mertesacker

The more people that write me off, the stronger I get. That's my feeling.

— Per Mertesacker