Makelele issues Vieira warning to Gunners
Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele believes Arsenal will lose “40% of the team” if Patrick Vieira is sold to Real Madrid.
Arsenal appear to have accepted defeat in their bid to keep their club captain. According to a radio report in Spain, Real have agreed a fee with the Gunners for his signature.
Makelele, who plays alongside Vieira for France and is a former Real player, said: “Patrick is a big, big player for Arsenal and it is easy to see why Madrid want him.
“He is strong and effective to protect the midfield, but he also gives the ball to the strikers.
“More than this, Vieira is a symbol for Arsenal. He is very, very strong. If Vieira does not play for them, Arsenal changes.
“Vieira is 40% of their team and that is what they will lose if he goes.”
Cadena SER radio station reported that Real president Florentino Perez and Arsenal vice-president David Dein have agreed a €35m fee for Vieira, who is expected to sign a four or five-year deal if the transfer goes through.
However, the report said that Arsenal had asked for a few days to line up a replacement – thought to be Porto midfielder Maniche.
Prisa, the media group that owns Diario AS and Cadena SER, has an investment in Real Madrid TV and is thought to be close to the Bernabeu outfit.
Vieira has been the subject of transfer speculation linking him with Real Madrid for most of the summer.
The 28-year-old has not commented on the subject but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger stated at the weekend that he believes the player will stay at Highbury.
There were reports last week that Arsenal representatives, including vice chairman Dein, were meeting with officials from Real but these were denied by the club.
Similarly Real also played down reports quoting club sources expressing their interest in the player.
Wenger brought former Cannes player Vieira to Arsenal for £3.5m (€5.3m) from AC Milan eight years ago.
He has since matured into one of the best midfielders in the world and is an obvious target for Real as they rebuild after last season’s disappointing campaign.
