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Published on:

26 Apr 2016, 4:45 am

By Arsenal correspondent Tony Hughes

Arsenal coach Frans de Kat will leave the club at the end of the season to take up a new role with the Dutch Football Association, it has been announced.

The official website of the Dutch FA, the KNVB, has confirmed that De Kat has agreed a deal to return to his native Holland.

The Dutchman, 51, is leaving the Gunners' Hale End base to become the new co-ordinator of Holland's training academy charged with bringing through the next generation of talent.

A statement on the Dutch FA's website said De Kat will be "responsible for the provision of training for trainers and coaches".

He said: "It was great to coach a big club like Arsenal to work, but I'm also looking forward to get back to the KNVB to get started."

De Kat has been at the north London side as the head coach of the under-18s since the summer of 2014 following a restructure of the club's academy set-up spearheaded by his countryman Andries Jonker, who was appointed the academy chief in succession to club legend Liam Brady.

Frans de Kat komt over van Arsenal naar de KNVB: https://t.co/XKxlxNOQpr.
— KNVB (@KNVB) April 25, 2016

De Kat had been prised from the Dutch FA, where he had been a coach at both under-15 and under-16 levels.

He has also held positions at Dutch clubs Willem II Tilburg, as head of scouting, and ADO Den Haag, as head of youth academy.

In other Arsenal news, club legend Thierry Henry has given his verdict on the two players the club should sign this summer.

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