Even after missing the 11am British time deadline, they still have until the close of the transfer window on August 31 to ensure that Vieira is available for the group stages.

Reports nevertheless indicate that, rather than bowing to Real’s pressure and agreeing a deal of anything between £18m (€27.2m) and £23m (€34.8m), Arsenal were actually holding out for as close to £30m (€45.4m) as possible.

Indeed, with Vieira apparently yet to agree personal terms after being offered less than the club’s existing ‘galacticos’, the Evening Standard speculated that Arsene Wenger would now look to capitalise on any delay to persuade his captain to stay.

Wenger was today quoted in French newspaper L’Équipe as insisting: “I categorically deny that Arsenal have accepted any proposition from Real Madrid about Vieira. I won’t say anything else.”

That does not mean a move cannot be agreed, even though Vieira requires treatment on a persistent thigh strain that will rule him out of Sunday’s Community Shield in any case.

While replacing Vieira would be hard enough, meanwhile, Wenger’s other priority is to keep the rest of his title-winning squad together.

The Arsenal boss will therefore have been heartened to see Ljungberg dampen speculation that he was also looking for a fresh challenge away from Highbury.

The Sweden international, who had been linked with a potential move to Italy, told the club’s official website www.arsenal.com: “I don’t know where these stories about me leaving Arsenal have come from.

“I enjoy playing football here. I have never had a conversation with the boss at any time about wanting to leave the club and, at the moment, I am just focusing on the start of the new season.”

Arsenal will naturally have been planning for the worst-case scenario of life without captain Vieira, with Porto’s Maniche and Valencia’s Ruben Baraja said to be two leading targets.

Another Valencia midfielder, David Albelda, could also be considered, along with England international Owen Hargreaves and Stephen Appiah, who has been on loan at Juventus from Brescia.

Wenger has, meanwhile, already signed emerging French midfielder Mathieu Flamini, although Marseille have insisted there is a problem over the Gunners’ raid and could call in FIFA to adjudicate.

Marseille chairman Christophe Bouchet declared: “Mathieu Flamini has contradicted the rules because he was forced to sign his first professional contract with the club that educated him.

“The French League asked us if we had offered him a professional contract - and we did. We had to hire a new player [Eduardo Costa] because he left and we suffered an important loss. The case is far from being settled.”