Arsenal have confirmed that Gabriel Heinze is now first team coach with the former Manchester United full back already working on the Gunners' pre-season preparations
Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Heinze has been out of work since leaving Newell's Old Boys
(Image: Getty Images)
Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of Gabriel Heinze as their new first team coach with the former Manchester United full back set to boost Mikel Arteta ’s brains trust.
The ex-Argentina international has already linked up with the Gunners as they begin their pre-season preparations ahead of a renewed attempt to the end their two-decade wait for the Premier League title.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Gabriel Heinze to our coaching staff as men’s first team coach,” Arsenal said in a statement. “Heinze, a former Argentina international, brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the club.
“We are excited with the introduction of Gabriel to our men’s first-team coaching staff, and welcome him and his family to Arsenal.”
Heinze spent three seasons at Old Trafford, winning a league title in 2006-07, and previously claimed he was knocked out by Roy Keane not long after joining the club.
Heinze said in 2022: "The first thing you hear in English or in another language are bad words. He (Keane) was looking at me and he says to me: "F*** off!" And I knew that was a dirty word.
"I stood up and the guy comes over to me. C'mon, I was only a kid. So I repeated it back to him, I said "f*** off you!. Then I don't remember anything else..."
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta is determined to get a striker signed sooner rather than later
He also won La Liga during a stint at Real Madrid and helped Marseille to the Ligue 1 title. Heinze started coaching in Argentina in 2015 and took over Atlanta United in late 2020 before a spell in charge of Newell's Old Boys.
Arsenal are back in training and have five friendlies pencilled in, beginning with fixtures with AC Milan and Newcastle in Singapore before facing Spurs in Hong Kong later this month. The Gunners then host Villarreal and Athletic Club in the Emirates Cup on August 5 and 9.
Arteta has already welcomed Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi into his playing squad while they remain in advanced talks with Sporting Lisbon for the centre forward Viktor Gyokeres. Brentford captain Christian Norgaard is also set to join, while there remains talk of an audacious swoop for Real Madrid star Rodrygo.
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