Arsenal confirmed on 8 July that former Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze has joined Mikel Arteta’s men’s first-team coaching staff. The 47-year-old arrives as a First Team Coach, filling a vacancy created when assistant Carlos Cuesta left earlier this summer. Heinze reunites with Arteta, a former team-mate from Paris Saint-Germain’s 2001-02 squad. Arteta has previously cited the Argentine as one of the figures who shaped his understanding of the game during their time in France. The appointment follows Cuesta’s move to become head coach of Serie A side Parma after Christian Chivu departed the Italian club for Inter. Heinze will now work alongside assistant Albert Stuivenberg, set-piece specialist Nicolas Jover and goalkeeping coach Iñaki Caña as Arsenal finalise preparations for their pre-season tour of Singapore and Hong Kong later this month. Heinze enjoyed a decorated playing career with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille, and earned 72 caps for Argentina, winning Olympic gold in 2004. Since retiring in 2014 he has managed Godoy Cruz, Argentinos Juniors, Vélez Sarsfield, Atlanta United and most recently Newell’s Old Boys, where he left the dugout in November 2023.