Arsenal ready to appoint former Man Utd star to coaching staff

Arsenal are set to appoint Gabriel Heinze to Mikel Arteta’s first-team coaching staff following the departure of Carlos Cuesta to Parma.

The former Argentina international will reunite with Arteta, with whom he played at Paris Saint-Germain during the 2001–02 season.

Heinze, 47, brings top-level experience as both a player and a manager, having enjoyed a successful career in Europe and South America.

He won league titles with Manchester United, Real Madrid and Marseille, while also earning 72 caps for Argentina and winning Olympic gold in 2004.

Since retiring in 2014, Heinze has held head coaching roles at several clubs, including Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Velez Sarsfield, Atlanta United, Estudiantes, and Newell’s Old Boys.

His most recent post was at Newell’s, where he spent one year in charge before stepping down in November 2023.

Arteta has spoken fondly of Heinze’s influence during their shared time in France, describing him as “inspirational” to his early understanding of the professional game.

At the start of last season, Arteta said: “The other inspirations were Pochettino and Heinze. Those two were next to me all the time, behind me, and they were guiding me in everything I had to do in my professional life.”

Heinze’s arrival will strengthen a backroom team that has remained largely consistent since 2021, with assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg, set-piece coach Nicolas Jover and goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana all remaining in place.

His appointment is also expected to add a different perspective to Arsenal’s training methods, especially given his own managerial background and reputation for instilling intensity and tactical discipline.

The move comes at a time when Arsenal are preparing for a crucial 2025–26 campaign, looking to build on recent progress under Arteta and finally deliver a Premier League title.

The club will hope Heinze’s experience at the top level and familiarity with Arteta’s philosophy can contribute to that push.

He becomes the latest high-profile addition to Arsenal’s evolving support structure behind the scenes.

With Heinze confirmed, attention now turns to how the former United defender can help Arteta take this Arsenal side one step further.

The post Arsenal ready to appoint former Man Utd star to coaching staff first appeared on ArsenalNews.co.uk.