Chelsea’s midfielder Claude Makelele believes Arsenal will lose ”40% of the team” if French international teammate Patrick Vieira is sold to Real Madrid.
”Patrick is a big, big player for Arsenal and it is easy to see why Madrid want him,” said Makelele, himself a former Real player.
”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,” the Chelsea star said.
The Spanish Cadena SER radio station, which has close links to Real Madrid, reported on Tuesday that Arsenal have agreed to sell Vieira to Real Madrid for €35-million.
Real president Florentino Perez and David Dein, the Gunners’ vice-president, discussed the transfer on the telephone and agreed to the deal, the report said.
Vieira, who will reportedly sign a four- to five-year deal at the Bernabau and will receive about €4,5-million a year, is expected to put pen to paper by Thursday to enable him to play in the Champions League qualifier against either WIT of Georgia or Polish side Wisla Krakow.
The deal comes just two weeks after Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger had inisted that Vieira would be staying at Highbury.
Vieira is under contract with the Gunners until 2007, but was reported to be ready to quit Highbury, where he has nothing left to prove domestically having now won both of England’s major domestic honours.
At Real, Vieira would link up with the likes of countryman Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos.
Vieira has yet to play for Premiership champions Arsenal in their build-up to the new campaign because of a thigh injury picked up while playing for France at the European Championship in June. — Sapa-AFP