Arsenal academy director joins Wolfsburg as head coach

Arsenal academy director, Andries Jonker has left his position to join Wolfsburg as their new head coach. 

Jonker will take the vacant managerial role at Wolfsburg following the sacking of Valerien Ismael this month, who was only four months into his job having replaced Dieter Hecking in October. 

Andries #Jonker is new VfL head-coach ➡️ https://t.co/PkV2urWMuO pic.twitter.com/R7fJoxHPZi

— VfL Wolfsburg EN (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) February 27, 2017

Jonker replaced former academy director Liam Brady in 2014 and has since then instituted a youth overhaul while also being a part of the Hale End rebuild. The Dutchman will join a club whom he was assistant coach for two seasons, while also being Louis van Gaal’s right-hand man at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and the Dutch national team. Speaking to Arsenal’s official website, Jonker confirmed his gratitude for the club and his hope that he’d see many of the youth players develop into top professionals. 

“I have had a wonderful three years at Arsenal. We have made significant progress and it has been great to be part of a club which puts such an emphasis on developing young players through its academy.”

“There are some top young players in the Arsenal academy. I look forward to seeing them progress their careers.”

Arsenal are now on the hunt for a replacement for the position, however, as The Independent has reported, the Gunners have already spoken to Pep Segura who is head of professional phase at FC Barcelona.