Arsenal's under-21 head coach Max Porter has departed the club to join Stoke City as assistant manager to Mark Robins. The move ends Porter's eight-year association with the Gunners, where he progressed from coaching the under-9 side to leading the under-21s.
Porter's Arsenal Journey
Porter joined Arsenal in July 2017 and steadily climbed the coaching ladder. He was appointed under-21 head coach ahead of the 2025-26 season, replacing Mehmet Ali who left for Brentford last summer. Porter beat competition from Jack Wilshere, who was considered a strong candidate but opted to pursue senior football management at Luton Town instead.
Performance and Player Development
Under Porter's guidance, Arsenal's Under-21s finished 14th in Premier League 2 this season. His final match in charge was a 3-1 defeat to Manchester City at the end of April. During his tenure, Porter played a key role in developing several of Arsenal's top young prospects, including Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, and Max Dowman.
New Role at Stoke
Porter joins Robins' backroom staff at Stoke, which also includes James Rowberry, Ryan Shawcross, and Darren Behcet. Stoke sporting director Jonathan Walters expressed delight at the appointment, praising Porter's reputation as one of the brightest young coaches in the game.
Walters said: "Max arrives from one of the most elite and successful environments in the country, and we're delighted to welcome him to Stoke City. He has built a reputation as one of the brightest young coaches in the game and has played an important role in the development of a number of exceptional young players during his time at Arsenal."
Walters highlighted Porter's drive, energy, and ambition as key attributes. "He is constantly looking to improve, challenge and develop those around him, and we believe he will be a tremendous addition to our environment. As we continue to strengthen and add quality to our backroom staff, Max is another important appointment for the club, and we're excited to see the impact he can make as we prepare for the season ahead."
Arsenal must now begin the process of appointing a new under-21 head coach to replace Porter.
