Wolfsburg have confirmed that Arsenal’s academy manager, Andries Jonker, will take over as their new coach.

Jonker, who replaced Liam Brady at Arsenal in 2014, previously served as an assistant at the Bundesliga club having also worked under Louis van Gaal with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Holland. The 54-year-old Dutchman has signed a contract until the end of next season will replace former Crystal Palace defender Valérien Ismaël, who was sacked following the 2-1 home defeat to Werder Bremen that left Wolfsburg only two points outside the relegation zone.

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At a press conference, Jonker revealed that former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who worked with him at the Gunners academy, would be joining him as an assistant coach.

Jonker said: “I have remained in contact with Wolfsburg over the years, but the enquiry did come as a bit of a surprise. There are only a few clubs with the possibilities available to them that VfL have. This is a huge challenge.

“I know a lot of the players and during this week I will be looking to prepare the team for the game against Mainz. All the players start from scratch. They all have the opportunity to prove themselves. It’s not about which system I prefer. All that counts is getting the 40 points as quickly as possible.”

“Andries Jonker knows VFL Wolfsburg and kept regular contact with the club even after his move to London,” added Wolfsburg’s sporting director, Olaf Rebbe, in a statement. “Both factors were decisive for the fact that we were able to find this solution in such a short time. He is an internationally experienced coach and a proven tactician who has the best conditions to quickly and sustainably bring VFL back into the track.”

The 2008/09 Bundesliga champions decided to make a change after Ismaël, a former defender with the club, won six games in 17 matches in charge having taken over from Dieter Hecking in October 2016.

Following Ismaël’s departure, Rebbe explained to the club website: “Having considered all the facts and circumstances, we came to the mutual conclusion that a parting of ways is the correct measure in order to get the team back onto a successful track.

“Our decision was not based solely on the most recent result of the game against Bremen, but rather based upon the impressions and results from recent weeks and months.

“We would like to thank Valerien Ismaël for immediately agreeing to take charge of the team during a very difficult phase in October 2016 and making a massive effort to improve the situation. In spite of all of our very best efforts, we have not been successful in getting back on track sportingly.”