Ex-Man Utd star who was 'knocked out by Roy Keane' after defeat now set to join Mikel Arteta at Arsenal

A former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is set to join Mikel Arteta’s coaching staff at Arsenal ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Arteta, 43, will be hoping his Arsenal side can secure silverware in the upcoming campaign, having finished second in the 2024/25 Premier League season as well as reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

The Gunners have already completed the signing of former Chelsea and Real Madrid goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, with an announcement regarding the signings of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Brentford’s Christian Norgaard reportedly imminent, according to BBC Sport.

The north London club are also in talks over signing Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, while Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Rodrygo have also been linked with moves to the Emirates.

But another arrival could prove pivotal to the Gunners’ title charge.

A huge season awaits Mikel Arteta (Credit:Getty)

As reported by The Athletic on Thursday, former Man United, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid defender Gabriel Heinze is set to join Arteta’s coaching staff, having played with the Spaniard at PSG during the 2001/02 campaign.

Heinze’s appointment came after Carlos Cuesta joined Parma as head coach.

Of course, to English fans, Heinze is best known for his time at United between 2004 and 2007, a period in which he helped the side win the 2006/07 Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Famously, he once revealed that he was ‘knocked out’ by Roy Keane during his time at Old Trafford.

Speaking to ESPN in 2017, Heinz said: "We went to Middlesbrough and we ended up losing 2-1. The team was disastrous. To be honest, I thought I had not played that badly.

"I'm the first one off the pitch when a game ends because I don't like to talk to anyone. I went straight to the changing room -- I was the first in and Roy was next. I didn't speak much English then.

"I see that he [Keane] is staring at me and he says 'f--- off.' I knew that swear word because those are the first things you learn. He comes towards me and I tell him 'f--- off you,' and that is the last thing I remember. I didn't even have time to swing my arm..."

Gabriel Heinze in action for Manchester United (Credit:Getty)

He added: "[Then-manager Six Alex] Ferguson called me up and told me that he knew what had happened.

"I asked him if I needed to apologise... I mean he was the biggest idol of Manchester United's history.

"He [Ferguson] said, 'no, Roy was like that.' But he told me not to worry because Roy had already forgotten about that episode.

"We went to training and I was very scared. I remember we both went for a ball and I was ready for anything but as the action happened Roy told me, 'beware -- what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch and what happens in the changing room ends there.'"