D-Day for Vieira

Patrick Vieira: on the brink of a move to Real Madrid

Arsenal looked to be losing their battle to keep Patrick Vieira at Highbury today, after reports in Spain that the club have accepted a £23.1 million bid from Real Madrid.

Arsenal sources insisted early today that no formal agreement had been reached.

But Spanish radio station Cadena SER, whose parent company has close financial links with Real Madrid, reported late last night that a fee for the French midfielder had been agreed following a phone conversation between Arsenal vice chairman David Dein and Madrid president Florentino Perez.

According to the report, Arsenal have asked for time to find a replacement before signing off the deal in time for Vieira to be registered by Madrid ahead of tomorrow's Champions League deadline. Porto midfielder Maniche is thought to be a target.

Prisa, the media group which owns Cadena SER, has an investment in Real Madrid TV.

If Vieira is to go, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Dein want it sorted out as quickly as possible so that plans to bolster the squad can be drawn up immediately.

The 28-year-old player is having treatment for a thigh injury which would prevent him playing for Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United in Cardiff.

Throughout another summer of speculat ion linking Vieira with a move to Madrid, the player has failed to come out and distance himself from the reports.

It has been reported that he has told Wenger he wants a new challenge after eight years at Highbury.

Arsenal hope they can persuade him to stay. Wenger has repeatedly said since Real's interest became evident that he does not want to lose his best players - and Vieira certainly falls into that category.

Wenger and Dein were both at Boreham Wood last night as a youthful Arsenal XI secured a 1-1 draw. Both men refused to be drawn on the future of their most important player.

Arsenal were today being linked with a £6.5m move for River Plate's defensive midfielder Javier Mascherano.

The 20-year-old's passing and tackling have made him an established member of the Argentina squad after just a handful of games for them.

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