Man Utd Premier League title winner joins Arsenal staff in surprise appointment

Mikel Arteta's backroom team at Arsenal is about to be bolstered by the addition of former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze. With a reshuffling of coaching personnel already underway for the new season, and ex-assistant Carlos Cuesta having departed to Parma, the Gunners are braced for fresh input.

The void left by Cuesta seems to be filled by a familiar face to Arteta, in the shape of the Argentine Heinze. According to The Athletic, an appointment at the Emirates for the ex-Man United defender as Cuesta's successor is imminent. It won't be the first partnership for Arteta and Heinze - they were once teammates at Paris Saint-Germain.

Reflecting on Heinze's influence, Arteta shared: "The other inspirations were (Mauricio) 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, how I had to understand the game and they were inspirational to me."

Stepping into the north London fold, Heinze will find himself joining an experienced coaching crew that features Albert Stuivenberg, specialist set-piece coach Nico Jover, and goalkeeping coach Inaki Cana Pavon, who have all been with the club since 2021.

Durin his illustrious playing days, Heinze donned the shirts of PSG, Man United, Real Madrid, Marseille, and Roma, clinching league titles in England, Spain, France, and his native Argentina. Impressively, he scooped up the accolade of United player of the year back in 2005.

The former Argentina international, who hung up his boots in 2014, has since transitioned into management, taking the reins at Argentinian clubs Gody Cruz, Newell's Old Boys, Argentinos Juniors and Velez Sarsfield. He also had a spell with MLS side Atlanta United, but has been without a club since November 2023.

On the other hand, Cuesta, the man he succeeded, is just embarking on his managerial journey and recently shed light on his decision to part ways with Arsenal. At a press conference, he stated: "I'm honoured to be part of a high-level club in Italy and abroad. It was a natural choice, as I had felt great trust from the very start of the negotiations.

"Age can be a surprise, but it's always been this way for me. Age is just a number. I don't want it to be an excuse, I want to be assessed as the Parma coach and do my best as I've always done in my life.

"I didn't expect it. I was focused on my work at Arsenal, and I was really happy. However, when the opportunity arose, I believed it was the right one. I've tried to prepare in the best possible way."