Arsenal Academy Chief Per Mertesacker has been invited to join the advisory board of the German national team by general manager Oliver Bierhoff.
Mertesacker, a World Cup winner, retired from international football in 2014 after he won 104 caps for Die Mannschaft, ending his club football career four years later.
Mertesacker will be the third member of the group, formed by Bierhoff in the aftermath of Germany's disastrous World Cup defence in which Die Mannschaft finished bottom of the group. He joins former national team head coach Berti Vogts and ex-Adidas CEO Herbet Hainer.
“Per will be part of the new expert advisory board,” Bierhoff told German tabloid Bild.