Wolfsburg have confirmed that Arsenal’s academy manager, Andries Jonker, will take over as their new coach.

Jonker previously served as an assistant at Wolfsburg and also worked until Louis van Gaal at Barcelona, Bayern and Holland.

At a press conference, Jonker revealed that former Arsenal and Sweden midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, who worked with him at the Gunners academy, would be joining him as an assistant coach.

Jonker said: “I have remained in contact with Wolfsburg over the years, but the enquiry did come as a bit of a surprise. There are only a few clubs with the possibilities available to them that VfL have. This is a huge challenge.

“I know a lot of the players and during this week I will be looking to prepare the team for the game against Mainz. All the players start from scratch. They all have the opportunity to prove themselves. It’s not about which system I prefer. All that counts is getting the 40 points as quickly as possible.”

“Andries Jonker knows VFL Wolfsburg and kept regular contact with the club even after his move to London,” added Wolfsburg’s sporting director, Olaf Rebbe, in a statement. “Both factors were decisive for the fact that we were able to find this solution in such a short time. He is an internationally experienced coach and a proven tactician who has the best conditions to quickly and sustainably bring VFL back into the track.”