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Arsenal star Per Mertesacker was left shaken after his car skidded on water as he drove through torrential rain on Monday.

The German defender, 30, is understood to have hit the central reservation of the M1 after losing control of his car during a downpour.

An Arsenal source said the footballer was left “shaken but unhurt”.

A witness to the accident said: “Per was sitting looking shaken alongside cops on M1 near the Bricket Wood/Watford turnoff after a car crash.”

Arsenal said their player was fit to return to training.

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A club source said: “Per had an accident after he left training this morning [MON] when he went onto the M1 returning home.

“The car aquaplaned into the crash area on the central reservation.

“He was shaken up but not injured. No other vehicles were involved and there was no one else in his car.

“It’s not a big deal. Per is fine and ready to return to training.”

(Image: Julian Finney/Getty)

The defender had not been expected to play in Arsenal’s Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia on Wednesday night as he has been bedridden with a virus

But it was thought he would play in the clash against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Two years ago Mertesacker gave driving lessons to his fellow Gunner Mesut Ozil.

Speaking in 2013, Ozil said: “Driving on the left-hand side. I thought it would be much more difficult than it really is.

“But Per Mertesacker gave me some ‘driving lessons’ and they helped me, so I can drive there.”