Renowned for ‘bringing the best out of players’ by the likes of Thiago Almada and Alexis MacAllister, Gabriel Heinze is set to join **Mikel Arteta**’s coaching staff for the upcoming season, as reported by David Ornstein.
The former Manchester United, Real Madrid and PSG defender brings managerial experience from stints at MLS side Atalanta United, and most recently, a one-year stint with Newell’s Old Boys in his native Argentina.
Heinze and Arteta share a history as teammates, having played together during the latter’s loan spell in the 2001–02 campaign.
The pair have remained in contact after first crossing paths over two decades ago. They were spotted together at a youth game between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid last year and were pictured together following Arsenal’s win at the Bernabeu in April.
The former Argentina international, who won titles in the top flights of England, France and Spain during his playing career, will join Arsenal’s coaching staff, filling the void left by Carlos Cuesta’s departure to become manager of Serie A side Parma.
Heinze was linked with a move to Arsenal last summer when Ajax were pursuing Albert Stuivenberg, but the Dutch giants ultimately elected to appoint Francesco Farioli instead.
Liverpool’s Alexis MacAllister, who made his senior debut under Heinze at Argentinos Juniors in 2016, has praised him as one of the top coaches to bring the best out of him.
Similarly, fellow Argentina international Thiago Almada, who worked with Heinze at the beginning of his career at Vélez Sarsfield, told ESPN in an interview back in 2023 that he had the biggest influence on his development.
“Of all the coaches I had, he was the one who most influenced me in how football is experienced on and off the field,” Almada said.
Off the pitch, Cuesta played a key role helping players individually, often staging one-on-one conversations with players, as seen with Ben White in Arsenal’s documentary on Amazon Prime.
While Heinze may not be a like-for-like replacement for Cuesta, his vast experience, leadership and track record helping young players rise through the ranks could suit him well to serve as a mentor for the players.
However, Heinze has been criticised for his tactics and man-management in previous managerial stints, notably freezing Josef Martinez out of the team in Atlanta, a decision that contributed to his dismissal after just 13 games.
A step back from the front seat could be exactly what the 47-year-old needs, joining Arsenal’s pursuit of their first Premier League title since 2004, working alongside a talented group of young players eager to win silverware.