Arsenal great Robert Pires has declared he plans to enter coaching.

Pires hung up the boots as a European-based player in 2015 and has been coaching youth football and consulting in recent years.

“There are some who have made the decision to be a coach or sports director or to be a consultant. I had taken this route and it allows me to still be in football," he said.

"But, I think that coaching is a good job, even if it's hard on a daily basis. I think that in the years to come, I will decide to pass the coaching diplomas. And I plan to do it on the Spanish side."

Pires previously played in Spain with Villarreal.