Speaking to the Men in Blazers Media Network, the French centre-back described Heinze as a constant presence around Arsenal’s defenders.
"Gabriel Heinze helps a lot, especially the defenders," he said. "He gives us energy because he’s always talking, always loud - even in training when we do simple things, he’s always loud. Even for nothing, he will be loud! He talks a lot and it’s good to have him close to us. I think this guy can help us a lot."
Saliba’s comments paint a vivid portrait of Heinze in his element of a demanding trainer with a booming voice, someone who builds his players’ standards through intensity.
Arteta recently shed light on the reasoning behind adding Heinze to his coaching staff, a decision rooted in personal history and professional trust. The two first crossed paths during Arteta’s loan stint at PSG in the 2001-02 season, forming a bond that has lasted more than two decades.
"He’s a winner," said Arteta. "He's won in many clubs he's been at. He had a very different education as well, we've known each other for 23 years, I'm very close to that, that brings something extra."
Arteta emphasised how Heinze’s personality and tactical insight complement the coaching group: "We complement each other really well, and everybody brings a different insight, a different character, a different personality, to the table that makes us a much better team. It makes me a much better coach as well, which is the intention to have the best resources to give to the players."
Heinze's playing days were defined by a winning pedigree. After joining Manchester United from PSG in 2004, he quickly became a fan favourite for his hard tackling and relentless duels. His United career ended controversially when he attempted to engineer a move to Liverpool, only for the club to refuse and send him to Real Madrid instead. He spent two seasons at the Bernabeu before moving to Marseille, where he added yet another league title to his collection. Since his retirement in 2014, Heinze carved out a coaching career spanning stints at Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Velez Sarsfield, Atlanta United and Newell’s Old Boys, the club where he started and ended his playing career before departing in 2023.
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