Vieira, from nowhere, looks like a possibility
Add comment August 1st, 2009
When I first heard the rumours of Patrick Vieira re-signing with Arsenal, I reacted with similar degrees of hilarity and doubt as to when Michael Owen’s name was first linked with Manchester United – and we all know how that one turned out…
Yesterday Arsene addressed the media ahead of the Emirates Cup, and understandably faced a few questions about our legendary former captain. Arsene was typically cagey, but did say:
“I speak to Patrick. I speak to many players who have been here because I keep good connections with them. He has gone through a difficult period in the last season and I am aware that he wants to come here. I think Patrick is a legend here and he would always like to come back to this Club. That would be his first choice.
At the moment we need to look at the level of experience in our squad to make this kind of decision. There is a football decision and then there’s the psychological impact of a player of that stature coming in. We are nowhere near to making a decision like that. But it is a possibility. We don’t rule it out and we don’t say we will do it. That’s my decision at the moment.”
Hang on, say that again:
“At the moment we need to look at the level of experience in our squad to make this kind of decision.”
Well, that makes it easy. Experience? We haven’t got any. Losing Adebayor and Toure is waving goodbye to yet more experience, and bringing in someone of Vieira’s extraordinary stature would be a suitable counter-point to that. It wouldn’t surprise me if the initial approach came from the player himself, but Arsene is certainly thinking about it. And that in itself, whatever condition Vieira’s body might be in, is intoxicatingly exciting.
If Arsene Wenger found a way to justify signing Mikael Silvestre, doing the same for Patrick Vieira ought to be a breeze. And a stiff breeze of positivity and leadership is just what his arrival would blow throughout London Colney.
Arsene also spoke (without saying anything of note) on our interest in Marouane Chamakh. I have to say, I’m increasingly of the opinion that our forward-line is the least of our worries. I’d rather see a midfielder in the Vieira mould arrive – though that won’t be Daniele De Rossi, who has unsurprisingly rubbished speculation linking him with a move to London.
The Emirates Cup kicks off today, and I’ll be liveblogging that over on twitter. Come join.
