By Chris Burns
Former Manchester United star Gabriel Heinze was on track to be a legend at the club. After joining the Red Devils from PSG in 2004, he helped secure a Premier League title and won over the Old Trafford faithful with his passionate performances – until he attempted to leave United under highly contentious circumstances. Heinze’s subsequent actions were seen as a major betrayal of his legacy as he tried to engineer a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2007. In doing so, he violated one of English football’s most respected unwritten rules: players do not transfer directly between United and their fierce rivals. Now 47, Heinze is set to join Mikel Arteta’s coaching team at Arsenal ahead of the new season , as the Gunners undergo a reshuffle following the departure of former assistant Carlos Cuesta to Parma. Heinze’s return to the Premier League will undoubtedly stir memories of one of English football’s most intense transfer sagas, when the Argentinian sought to cross the M62 divide and join then-manager Rafa Benitez at Liverpool. The move would have made him the first player since Phil Chisnall in 1964 to transfer directly between the two clubs. However, the potential union of Heinze and Liverpool remains a ‘What if?’ scenario, as former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson firmly put his foot down to ensure the defender never got his wish. The saga started when Heinze’s representative, Roberto Rodriguez, was allegedly told by United’s then-chief executive David Gill that his client could depart for £6.8million. However, United hadn’t anticipated that the defender would push for a move to their biggest rivals, reports the Mirror . Liverpool then submitted a bid matching United’s asking price. The Red Devils rejected the Reds’ approach, much to Heinze’s frustration, prompting legal action to be considered. “I can assure you, Liverpool will not be getting Gabriel Heinze. We can put that to bed right now and we have done so,” Sir Alex told Sky Sports at the time. The iconic United manager also insisted his club held all the cards regarding the transfer. Benitez, however, was bewildered by United’s refusal to negotiate. “It’s clear he’s a player we like and he’s a very good player,” Liverpool’s Spanish manager said. “That’s the reason why they don’t want him to leave for us.” In a further twist to one of the Premier League’s most bitter transfer battles, it subsequently came to light that Crystal Palace had been approached by a South American-based agency to purchase Heinze, before immediately selling him on to Liverpool. This arrangement would supposedly have netted the Eagles £1m in fees, as disclosed by former Palace chairman Simon Jordan in his autobiography, Be Careful What You Wish For. “My stance was no way were we getting involved and I told [CEO Phil] Alexander to contact David Gill, Manchester United’s chief executive, and tell him of these attempted shenanigans, which he duly did,” Jordan wrote. Heinze and his representative took their case to a Premier League arbitration panel in an attempt to force the move. However, Jordan’s testimony was later utilised in the hearing, resulting in a win for United. After being denied the transfer to Liverpool, Heinze said to the Daily Mail: “My fight is for the freedom to negotiate with any club. United never wanted me to leave for one of the big clubs, but this anti-Liverpool clause is incredible.” Liverpool were anticipating an appeal from Heinze, but it never came to pass as United accepted an offer from Real Madrid instead. “I don’t have many regrets from my career as a footballer, but that episode with Ferguson [has] to be one of them,” Heinze said years on. “I spent three years in Manchester and had some great moments and I regret [leaving the club] a lot.” Post-United, Heinze’s career saw him at Real, Marseille and Roma before retiring in 2014. The former Argentina international has since moved into management, although he has been without a role since November 2023. Arteta and Heinze, former team-mates at PSG, are set to reunite at the Emirates Stadium. It is widely anticipated that Heinze’s move to another of United’s bitter rivals will proceed smoothly this time around.