“My coach back then was Steve Bould and to walk in the footsteps of people like that is a massive honour. It’s a big opportunity for me.
“Still being relatively young, I didn’t expect my playing days to be done at this age, but when you get an opportunity like this given to you, it’s hard to turn down. Per [Mertesacker], Luke [Hobbs] and the whole of the club have been amazing. They’ve shown confidence in me, and I’m really happy and excited for the new chapter.
“It’s a special feeling to be part of the Arsenal family. It never left me, and even though I moved on for a few years, my heart was always still at Arsenal. When I think of a family, family is always there for you no matter what. Even if you leave, the door is always open and I always felt that when I came back here.”
