The Spaniard could be about to bolster his backroom in a big way (Picture: Getty)
Mikel Arteta could be about to make a surprise appointment to his Arsenal backroom team in the shape of a former Manchester United defender, according to reports.
In addition to overhauling the north London club on the pitch, Arteta has also made a host of significant appointments in recent years to bolster his own coaching staff.
Set-piece coach Nicolas Jover was brought in from Manchester City and has turned the Gunners into the Premier League’s dead-ball kings, while goalkeeper coach Inaki Cana was poached from Brentford.
Such is the regard Arsenal’s coaches are held in, several have been linked with moves away to take up head coach roles elsewhere.
Albert Stuivenberg has been repeatedly linked with the Ajax job and is expected to be targeted again in the summer, while Carlos Cuesta was in the frame to take over at Norwich City.
It appears Arteta may be bracing for a potential departure come the end of the season, with ESPN Argentina’s Leandro Alves reporting that Gabriel Heinze could make a move to the Emirates.
The 45-year-old has had a rather unspectacular coaching career so far in his native Argentina, as well as a brief period in charge of MLS side Atlanta United.
He is currently in London and is believed to have held talks over the possibility of joining Arteta’s coaching staff, though he also has the option of taking over Argentine club San Lorenzo.
Heinze, top left, and Arteta at a recent Real Madrid U19s game (Picture: Marca)
Former Manchester United left-back Heinze and Arteta are actually old team-mates and played alongside each other at Paris Saint-Germain in the 2001-02 season before the Spaniard left to join Rangers.
They were recently spotted together in Madrid, with the pair in the stands at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium to watch Real’s Under-19s in action against Atletico.
Arteta was asked about his coaching staff being linked with top jobs elsewhere and said he would not stand in their way if they asked to leave.
‘If that’s their will? You cannot [stop them]. I wouldn’t, no,’ said Arteta of Cuesta’s potential Norwich move back in February.
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‘It’s very important, and with the staff as well. I think everybody needs to feel that there is a path, there is a development plan for everyone.
‘People don’t want to do the same thing for three, four, five years you know, and there is a way to incentivise people, to inspire other people, and then to explore.
‘Because you don’t really know the limit of a person unless you expose him to certain things. I think curiosity is a really important quality that we have within our young staff, and that thrives.
‘We all need opportunities. I got an opportunity when I didn’t have any experience in coaching, first of all at Man City and then here, and I’m very grateful for that.’
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