Marouane Chamakh officially confirmed his retirement from football over the weekend, but he’s now preparing for an unexpected return to the game through coaching.

Chamakh played for Arsenal for three years, between 2010 and 2013, before moving on to Crystal Palace after a brief loan with West Ham United. The striker scored 14 goals in 67 appearances for the Gunners.

Chamakh didn’t have much more success after that, eventually leaving Cardiff City in 2017 after just two appearances in a season with the then-Championship club. Speaking in France to beIN SPORTS, he admitted that after a couple of years away from football it was time to announce his retirement from playing for good.

“It’s been two years since I really cut ties with football,” Chamakh said. “I wanted to get closer to my family, and today I can say that I really retired from football. I did not plan to come back, either as a consultant or a coach, but I feel that it’s something I miss.”

Despite Chamakh planning not to return to football in any fashion, it appears the 35-year-old has now done a full U-turn and is preparing for a career in coaching.

“I will try to pass my coaching badges, I will do things little by little and seriously,” the former Gunner confirmed.

If Chamakh ends up going for a job in France, he’ll follow a number of former Gunners to have done the same thing recently. Patrick Vieira is the head coach of OGC Nice, Thierry Henry was briefly in charge of AS Monaco and Sylvinho is taking over at Olympique Lyonnais. Perhaps Chamakh will look to join them by returning to former club Bordeaux.