Vieira reveals verbal agreement to quit Arsenal
Patrick Vieira has admitted for the first time that he wants to leave Arsenal. "I need a new challenge after five years at the club," said the France international, who has been linked with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United in recent weeks.
Patrick Vieira has admitted for the first time that he wants to leave Arsenal. "I need a new challenge after five years at the club," said the France international, who has been linked with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United in recent weeks.
The midfielder's comments follow a period of intense speculation surrounding his future in which agent Marc Roger has been adamant his client will move on.
Arsenal issued a statement on Friday denying that Vieira was for sale – and pointed out that the lanky star still has three years left on his contract.
But the latest comments appear to put the club on the back foot, with reports suggesting the Frenchman is prepared to go on strike to get his way. Former team-mate Nicolas Anelka – who is also a client of Roger's – made a similar threat to engineer a move to Real Madrid two years ago.
"I had a meeting with Arsene Wenger and the club's vice-chairman David Dein two days before I went on holiday to America," explained Vieira.
"I told them I was not going to renew my contract for a third time, that I wanted to leave and that it was nothing to do with money because that was not an issue to me."
"This is not about Arsenal, but about my personal ambitions as a player. I felt, and people should respect this, that I need a new challenge after five years at the club."
The midfielder, 25, told the Sunday Mirror that he had informed Arsenal of his decision to leave following the Gunners' defeat by Galatasaray in the 2000 Uefa Cup final.
Vieira was persuaded to stay after being assured the club would agree to a transfer if he still wanted to leave at the end of last season.
"I feel if I go to a new environment I can raise my game to a new level," said Vieira. "I expect Arsenal to stand by a verbal agreement they have with me and I expect this to be sorted out before I return from my holiday."
After failing to mount a title challenge last season, Arsenal have spent heavily this summer on Everton striker Francis Jeffers and Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
They are also set to sign £6 million-rated Ipswich Town keeper Richard Wright and are keen to show they have the ambition to match Manchester United.
But those signings would be overshadowed by Vieira's departure, which would almost certainly trigger unrest in the Highbury dressing room. Winger Robert Pires announced he would sign for Valencia if the Gunners failed to hold on to Vieira.
"What happens with Vieira will determine what I do because he is pivotal to the team," said Pires. "Obviously you're obliged to study an offer from Valenica. But Arsenal must do everything possible to keep Vieira. The club can't afford to lose him."
Dennis Bergkamp added: "Last season we missed out on the title by some distance. If we lost Patrick, what chances do you think we'd have of winning the championship?"
Gilles Grimandi said on Sunday: "When I do get to speak to Patrick, my message to him will be that he will never get the same level of love, respect and admiration that he enjoys at Highbury anywhere else."
"He is like a god at Arsenal, I can honestly say I've never known anything like it. While he'd obviously get respect at any European club, it could never be the same as it is with the Gunners. I don't know how we could replace him."