Arsenal defender, Per Mertesacker has signed a one-year contract extension, per reports.
Mertesacker’s contract was due to expire in the summer, but Arsenal have decided to set in motion a new term which would extend his contract by a year.
The Gunner’s captain, has not made any appearance this season due to a knee injury he sustained in pre-season.
The 32-year-old is set to return to action and with reference to his experience off the pitch as well as on it, Arsene Wenger considers him a crucial member of his squad.
Wenger, when being interviewed on Thursday before the weekend’s clash with Burnley said: “He has an option that we have taken.
“There was no negotiation, there was just an option that we took up. He is back in training, not with the squad but I think he is a few weeks away.”
Mikel Arteta was substituted for Mertesacker as the team’s skipper after the Spaniard’s retirement at the end of last season and he began working as an assistant coach with Manchester City.
Arteta was benched with series of injuries since being handed with the armband, but Wenger insists Mertesacker’s fate would be a lot better
“It’s completely accidental,” he said of the German’s injury.
“With Arteta, it’s true that he struggled with muscular problems, but Per was accidental.
“It was a knee problem but he has recovered from that, so there’s no reason why he should be injured again.
Mertesacker might find it difficult to gain ground in the team once he is fit as his vice-captain, Laurent Koscielny has developed a close relationship with the central defender, Shkodran Mustafi.