Under the guidance of our Head of Academy Coaching Luke Hobbs and Academy Manager Per Mertesacker, David will be working closely with our academy coaches, including PDP Lead Ken Gillard and under-21s head coach Max Porter to manage our under-19s in the UEFA Youth League and the EFL Trophy, where we are soon to compete against League One teams Cardiff City and Exeter City, as well as League Two side Newport County.

An experienced and qualified coach, David holds a UEFA Pro Licence and has previously held coaching positions at first-team and academy level at Southampton, Watford, Bristol Rovers, Forest Green Rovers and Manchester United.



David was present to oversee our opening Youth League clash against Athletic Club on Tuesday and will take charge of the remaining five matches in the competition, which mirrors the first six men’s first team matches, so will see our under-19s host Olympiacos, Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, as well as heading to Slavia Prague and Club Brugge.

Academy Manager Per Mertesacker said: “We are really pleased to welcome David into our academy. He has a detailed knowledge of the game and will bring his wealth of footballing experience into the club to help progress both our staff and players alike.



“As a person, he will fit into our environment and culture perfectly, and will continue to help us drive our vision for the future. I look forward to seeing how he brings his skills to life on and off the pitch, and, in turn, help to challenge and care for our boys.”



David said: “I'm absolutely delighted to be joining the Arsenal academy. It's a fantastic opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to supporting the development of the players while also leading the UEFA Youth League and EFL Trophy teams.



“I can’t wait to get started and contribute to the exciting work already being done here at Arsenal.”



Everyone at Arsenal welcomes David to the club.