Arsenal legend, 40, comes out of retirement for 30-min cameo in anniversary match saying ‘I'm halfway in shape'
ARSENAL legend Per Mertesacker came out of retirement to feature in an anniversary match.
The defender had a lengthy career but only featured for three clubs - Arsenal, Werder Bremen and Hannover.
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His youth career was spent at German regional side TSV Pattensen 1890, who celebrated 135 years as a club this week.
To mark the occasion they held a friendly against Hannover, losing 3-0.
Mertesacker lined up for the semi-pro side - marking his football comeback after retiring in 2017.
The centre-back started the match but lasted just 30 minutes.
He said ahead of kick-off: "I'm halfway in shape."
Mertesacker played down his chances of a permanent stay, adding: "That's out of the question for me. But my passport is still with TSV, I think."
The German is still tied down to Arsenal as director of the club's academy.
Mertesacker played 221 games for the club between 2011 and 2018 before moving into a coaching role with the Gunners' youth teams.
He previously revealed his plans for the academy, stating: "I believe as an academy we should be in a position to provide those players for the first team in the future.
"I am really conscious that alignment means as well that once we get more successful and get back into the Champions League, that is the level for our players to be at.
"With the tweaks we are making [in the academy] and becoming younger by acquiring talent from the outside to become younger, this is a message to the academy: we need to be world leading.
"To become that we are on a journey. How close are we? I'm not sure.
"We're competing with the best academies in England but also in Europe and the world. I think we're in a good position, but ready to do more."
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