Arsenal boss convinced Vieira will stay

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is confident captain Patrick Vieira will stay at Highbury this season.

Wenger is convinced Vieira will snub a move to Real Madrid and said: "I think he will stay. He has a contract here until 2007."

"I have a close relationship with Patrick and I don't say what we talk about, but that's my personal opinion."

He added: "I have other players with not as long on their contracts who are much more of a worry for me than he is."

"The media speculation isn't helping and it has been disruptive," said Wenger. "But we're used to that and we will meet it together as we usually do."

"I don't want to convince him to stay, I want him to stay because he's convinced he wants to be part of this club."

"If a player comes to me and says he can't win things here and wants to leave, that's fair enough."

"But simply to want to leave to see something different is not enough for somebody who wants to win."

"Why does Michael Schumacher stay at Ferrari? Because he knows he can win there."

Wenger added: "I believe every player who leaves Arsenal makes a mistake."

"Frankly, I find change for the sake of change unacceptable, the basic desire of a player is to win and everything else is artificial and superficial."