Ex-manchester United Defender Gabriel Heinze is planned to join the coaching staff of Arsenal, but the Argentinian star was once in the middle of one of the most brutal transfersagas of the Premier League
Former Manchester United star Gabriel Heinze was once considered a legend in the club. With the Red Devils of PSG in 2004, a Premier League title followed when the Old Trafford Taithful was worshiped his thorough bleeding on the field that he tried to leave United under enormous controversial circumstances.
The next movement of Heinze was seen as self-sabotage of the highest order when the Argentinian star set its united inheritance on fire when he tried to force a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2007.
He then broke one of the most holy but unwritten rules of English football: players do not go from United to their bitter rivals and vice versa.
Heinze, now 47, is now ready to join the Coaching Staff of Mikel Arteta to Arsenal prior to the new season while the Gunners are in the middle of a coaching repeat, with former assistant Carlos Cuesta left for Parma.
The return from Heinze to the Premier League will undoubtedly ignite memories of one of the most brutal transfersagas of the English football when Argentijn wanted to endure the M62 gorge and to join the then Rafa Benitez manager in Liverpool.
The controversial switch would have made him the first player since Phil Chisnall in 1964 to move directly between the two parties. Yet the Association of Heinze and Liverpool will always be a case of “what if?” Former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has spectacularly buried his heels to ensure that the defender would never get his wish.
It started when the Heinze agent, Roberto Rodriguez, was reportedly informed by David David Gill of United that he could leave for £ 6.8 million. Yet United never foresaw that the full-back would call for a switch to their greatest rivals.
An offer that corresponds to the valuation of United was then indeed submitted by the Reds. The Red Devils, however, hit Liverpool's proposal to the dismay of Heinze, and so lawyers were consulted.
“I can assure you, Liverpool will not get Gabriel Heinze. We can now put that to bed and we have done that,” Ferguson told Sky Sports at the time.
The legendary United Baas also claimed that United was in the row of chair during the move. Benitez, however, remained astonished by the refusal of United to play the ball.
“It is clear that he is a player we like and he is a very good player,” said the Spanish boss of Liverpool. “That is why they don't want him to leave for us.”
In another turn to one of the bloodiest transfers of the Premier League, it later emerged that Crystal Palace had the opportunity to buy Heinze through a South American agency and then sell him to Liverpool.
This is said to be the Eagles £ 1 million in compensation, as revealed by former Palace chairman Simon Jordan in his memoirs, be careful with what you want.
“My attitude was not that we are participating and I told Alexander to contact David Gill, the Chief Executive of Manchester United, and to tell him about this attempt at Shenanigans, what he did properly,” Jordan wrote.
Heinze and his agent eventually brought the case to a Premier League arbitration panel in an attempt to develop the move. However, Jordan's proof was later used during the hearing in which United prevailed.
After he had lost the right to move to Liverpool, Heinze told The Daily Mail: “My fight is for freedom to negotiate with a club. United never wanted me to leave for one of the big clubs, but this anti-liverpool clause is incredible.”
Liverpool reportedly expected Heinze to appeal. Yet there was never a late charge from the player, because United accepted a Real Madrid bid.
“I don't regret much from my career as a football player, but that episode with Ferguson [has] To be one of them, “Heinze later said about the test.” I spent three years in Manchester and had some great moments and I regret [leaving the club] a lot of.”
After United, Heinze then played for Madrid, Marseille and Roma. The ex-Argentina International mentioned time on his career in 2014 and has since ventured into management, but he has been unemployed since November 2023.
Arteta and Heinze previously played together on PSG, but they will now reunite at the Emirates Stadium. It is fully expected that Heinze's trip to work on another Van United's fierce rivals will be without a drama this time.