Arsenal have been rocked by another departure to their coaching staff.
Carlos Cuesta has joined Parma as their new manager to become the first coaching departure of the summer.
Gabriel Heinze is set to replace Cuesta as part of Mikel Arteta’s backroom team next season with the Argentine having had managerial experience in his home country and with MLS side Atlanta United.
Per Mertesacker has been enjoying incredible success with Arsenal’s academy but will now have to fill a huge role as the Gunners U21 manager has departed for Premier League rivals.
Mehmet Ali leaves Arsenal U21 managerial role
As per the Athletic, Arsenal’s U21 manager Mehmet Ali has left his role at the club to join Brentford as part of Keith Andrew’s new backroom team.
Ali has been of the U21 set up since 2022 and oversaw the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly make their way into the first-team.
He was praised for his attention to detail and this was shown in his work with Nwaneri on finding pockets of space to operate within a game.
Ali is set to face the Hale End duo next season when he arrives at the Emirates Stadium with his new Brentford side but the club are thankful for all of his efforts during his tenure.
Three Arsenal replacements for Mehmet Ali
With the new season upon us and Arsenal’s U21 side already back in training, there is an urgency to find Ali’s successor.
The U21 side are an important cog in the Arsenal machine and will have the likes of Max Dowman and Marli Salmon in their ranks for the upcoming campaign.
Arsenal Insider looks at three potential candidates to take over the reins.
Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere was linked with Cuesta’s role as part of Arteta’s coaching team but could still make a fairytale return to the club with the U21 managerial position.
Wilshere was in charge of the U18 side before moving to Norwich to further develop his career. Wilshere left Norwich this summer after taking charge of the first-team on an interim basis last season.
His knowledge of the game and love for the club would make him the perfect candidate to develop and nurture Arsenal’s considerable young talent.
It is just a question of whether Wilshere sees this role as a progressive step in his coaching career or whether he waits for another opportunity elsewhere.
Adam Birchall
Adam Birchall could be in line for an internal promotion after his excellent work with the U18 side this season.
Birchall led the young Gunners to a quarter-final appearance in the FA Youth Cup, where they were narrowly beaten in extra time by Manchester United.
He has also been a huge part of the development of Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly and has a wealth of experience working at the club.
Santi Cazorla
Arsenal fans want the return of Santi Cazorla after he was also linked with a return to the Gunners to replace the outgoing Cuesta.
Cazorla has just starred in helping his Real Oviedo side return to La Liga but has made no decision on whether he will continue playing.
Arteta has welcomed Cazorla’s return and the chance for him to shape the future stars at the Emirates is a role that will surely appeal to the Spanish magician.
He was one of the most creative and intelligent players to ever play for the club and could use all of that knowledge to develop the next generation of Arsenal prospects.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
