Arsenal ‘big discussion around gangs’ after player incidents

LONDON (AP) — Arsenal academy head Per Mertesacker says there have been talks with players about the threat posed by gangs after Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac had to fight off knife-wielding men.

In an incident caught on camera in London last month, Kolasinac jumped out of a vehicle to confront the masked aggressors, who had pulled alongside the car on mopeds.

Mertesacker told The Associated Press that as a result “there was a big discussion around gangs in London and the security matters … around to be risk-aware. I think that is the major part of what car you drive, what you wear in terms of your jewelry.”

Both players were unharmed but missed games after the incident.

Mertesacker says “once these things happen, it is an eye opener to where the world is in terms of poverty around London and how can we make sure that it is not going to happen again.”

The former Arsenal captain was speaking as he launched his new autobiography.