Per Mertesacker thankful for "great ending" to Emirates career

Per Mertesacker has thanked supporters for playing a special part in his final home outing as an Arsenal player before calling time on his playing career.

The German centre-back is to hang up his boots at the end of the campaign and take on a coaching role with the Gunners' academy side.

On the same day that Arsene Wenger walked down the Emirates Stadium tunnel for the final time, Mertesacker is grateful to have been given a cameo appearance in the 5-0 triumph against Burnley.

"It was a beautiful moment," he told Arsenal's official website. "It is difficult to sum it up now. It was brilliant, how the team performed and the manager letting me on for the last time.

"The good thing was we were 5-0 up [when I came on], so I could really take that warm welcome and the emotions to enter the pitch for the last time.

"It's magnificent the way I was welcomed from the first day, and for the great finish as a football player. That's brilliant and it speaks of this classy club by giving me the opportunity to get such a great ending."

Mertesacker now has six Premier League appearances to his name this season, the last of which - prior to Sunday afternoon - came against West Bromwich Albion.