Per Mertesacker says he’s going to play one more season for Arsenal, then perhaps call time on his playing career. And the BFG says he’s already spoken to the club about staying on in a non-playing role at Arsenal.

The German admitted he’d found last season tough going, not playing until the final two games, capped with that epic FA Cup final performance which helped us beat Chelsea 2-1 to lift the trophy for a record 13th time.

Speaking to local media, he touched on his injury plagued campaign, and admitted retirement crossed his mind.

“I am motivated, but I can not play every three days anymore,” he said. “I do not want to push my luck.

“I told him [Arsene Wenger] I was tired, mentally drained. I’ve been thinking of my career, there’s nothing to it, I’m going to finish. It didn’t matter how how I’d trained, I did not get a chance.”

And as for the future, it was put to him that he’d play one more season for Gunners after the club took up the option of a year’s extension which will keep him at the Emirates until 2018.

“Then I’ll look at how healthy I am and decide,” he said, before saying his career after playing will “definitely be in the football business”.

“It can happen quickly,” he said. “Arsenal would like to keep me, as there are already talks: it will be in the operational business, I will be on the other side.”

It almost sounds like an administrative, rather than coaching position. Per Mertesacker: Director of Football has a nice ring to it.