Arsenal star Per Mertesacker admits he is firmly against a Premier League winter break

Per Mertesacker is against the idea of a Premier League winter break

PER MERTESACKER has fallen in love with Britain’s quirky sporting traditions – and is firmly against any idea of the Premier League introducing a winter’s break.

 

The Arsenal defender has revealed that his body clock struggled to adapt to playing over the festive period when he first arrived in north London from Werder Bremen four years ago.

While the professional leagues in Italy, France, Spain and Germany take an extended leave of absence over Christmas – allowing their footballers to go on mid-season holidays – those in England are expected to play on Boxing Day and over the New Year period.

But, despite many foreign players moaning about the congested fixture list, Mertesacker would not have it any other way.

 

He said: “Yes, I admit I’m playing during the winter period when it’s a bit colder than usual. But I like that because it’s a competition and a tradition here and it keeps everybody on the ball.

“Maybe the first one or two seasons at Arsenal, I was mentally not well during this period and in January I suffered a lot. But now I like to play, you get used to it.

“On the one hand, when I played in Germany, you wanted to switch off and celebrate with your family and take a break through Christmas until New Year’s Eve and then start again. You are in the tunnel over here.

“But this is our job and I’d love to do it for a couple more years. I will dedicate everything I have got to have success in this football world.”

 

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger wants young forward Joel Campbell to start fulfilling his promise – and continue to cause selection headaches for the Arsenal manager.

The Costa Rican, 23, has struggled to make an impact since being signed by the Gunners in 2011, spending the majority of the past four years out on loan abroad.

But Wenger said: “This season I didn’t want to give him up because he has a genuine team attitude and he is a fighter.

“Now he has his chance and it is up to him to take it. He has learned how hard it is at the top level and now he is ready.”