Arsene Wenger made Freddie Ljungberg promise to return to Arsenal if a coaching role becomes available, after the former winger left to take up a position with Wolfsburg.
Ljungberg had been helping coach Arsenal's under-15s this season but followed Andries Jonker to the Bundesliga to become assistant manager.
He is the latest member of the "Invincibles" to go elsewhere to further his coaching career -- joining the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira -- but Wenger said the two-time Premier League winner has said the door is open for him to come back.
"Freddie has done extremely well with the under-15s here," Wenger told Arsenal's official website. "I was in touch with him constantly during his experience there.
"We gave him permission to go [to Wolfsburg], but with a promise that he will come back if there's a possibility to come back here. Overall, I think it is part of his education to become a coach, to have this kind of experience. Hopefully we can use that later at Arsenal."
The Wolves new coaching team. pic.twitter.com/93Oe5mganG
- VfL Wolfsburg EN (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) February 27, 2017
Jonker was hired by Wolfsburg on Monday to replace Valerien Ismael, who was fired on Sunday after a 2-1 home loss to Werder Bremen left them only two points above the relegation zone.
Jonker had worked as an assistant at Wolfsburg before taking over Arsenal's academy in 2014, where he replaced Liam Brady. He previously served as an assistant to fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal at Bayern Munich, where he also served as caretaker manager for a brief spell in 2011.
"Andries has been at Wolfsburg before," Wenger added. "They knew him and they took advantage of the fact they know him to attract him there. Wolfsburg is a good opportunity because they have the third [highest] budget in the league.
"If you look at their team, their squad, they have very good players, so I think he has a good opportunity there to get them out of the relegation battle and as well to prepare to be their long-term coach there."