Arsenal appoint former Strasbourg technical director De Maesschalck as academy manager

Arsenal have officially announced the appointment of Pascal De Maesschalck as the club's new Academy Manager, effective August 1.

De Maesschalck previously served as the Technical Director of Strasbourg in Ligue 1 since 2024. Before joining Strasbourg, he was deeply involved in the European youth development system, having spent three years as the Director of Youth Development at Monaco and 10 years as the Head of the Academy at Club Brugge in Belgium, gaining extensive experience in developing young players and building pathways to the first team.

As Arsenal's Academy Manager, De Maesschalck will be fully responsible for the club's youth academy system, coordinating the development of young players and further strengthening the club's scouting and recruitment of outstanding young talent in the UK and globally. Arsenal stated that this appointment reflects the club's ongoing goal of building a world-class youth academy, with the aim of providing young players with the environment, support, and development opportunities they need to grow.

Arsenal Sporting Director Edu Gaspar said: "We are delighted to welcome Pascal to Arsenal. He brings a wealth of experience from several top clubs in Europe and has an excellent track record of developing young players."

"As the club continues to look to the future, we look forward to him helping to develop young players and discover the best new talents, supporting them on their journey in professional football."

De Maesschalck will succeed Per Mertesacker in the role. Mertesacker left the club at the end of last season after serving as Arsenal Academy Manager for eight years.

Arsenal concluded by stating that everyone at the club welcomes De Maesschalck's arrival and looks forward to him continuing to drive the development of Arsenal's next generation of young players through his leadership, experience, and vision.