Mikel Arteta ‘wants former Man United star to take new Arsenal role’, with the Gunners boss to attempt to ‘persuade his ex-team-mate to join him at the Emirates’

Mikel Arteta has made contact with a Manchester United Premier League winner in a bid to lure him to the club as a new assistant for next season, according to reports. 

The Gunners boss has been identifying potential replacements for his current backroom team with both Albert Stuivenberg and Carlos Cuesta being tipped for potential moves into head coach roles elsewhere.

Arteta was handed his first managerial position at Arsenal after previously being assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and is now ready to give another former player a similar chance.

Arsenal’s incredible performances this season have seen rival clubs across Europe target members of Arteta’s support team as the Gunners remain focused on lifting silverware in both the Champions League and Premier League.

Amidst an array of prospective talents hoping to further their development under Arteta’s guidance, former Man United defender Gabriel Heinze is one of the top names in the running, as reported by ESPN Argentina.

A former Man United star could be on his way to join Arsenal at the end of the season

Gabriel Heinze has been trying to forge a career in management and could move to Arsenal as an assistant

Heinze made 83 appearances for Sir Alex Ferguson‘s United squad between 2004 and 2007 before leaving after becoming annoyed at a lack of first-team opportunities.

A stellar debut season at Old Trafford earned him United’s player of the year award before injury gave Patrice Evra the chance to nail-down a starting role and Heinze was later sold to Real Madrid.

The 45-year-old has been keen to carve out a career in management since retiring a decade ago and has held several positions across American and South American football, but has recently entertained talks with Arteta over joining his coaching team at Arsenal.

Arteta and Heinze played together during their early career years at Paris Saint-Germain and could now strike up a working relationship in the Arsenal dugout, with Arteta set to try and persuade Heinze to join him in north London.

The Arsenal chief previously addressed the futures of both current assistant Stuivenberg and Cuesta, claiming he wouldn’t stop them from leaving the club if they wished to do so.

Arteta’s current assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg (right) has been linked with moves away from the club

Heinze made 83 appearances at United between 2004 and 2007 before leaving after becoming annoyed at a lack of first-team opportunities.

‘If that’s their will? You cannot [stop them]. I wouldn’t, no,’ Arteta told reporters in February.

‘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,’ he said.