http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3530524.stm

Real miss Vieira deadline


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
Vieira's Arsenal career in photos (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/photo_galleries/3534322.stm)
Vieira's career statistics (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/teams/a/arsenal/players/28554/html/profile_hi.stm)

Real Madrid have missed out on signing Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira in time for their Champions League qualifier.

The Spanish club wanted to showcase the 28-year-old midfielder against Polish side Wisla Krakow next Tuesday.

However, Real failed to meet Uefa's 1100 BST deadline but he can still compete in the group stages if the deal is done by 1 September.

Arsenal want Real to meet their asking price for Vieira - thought to be £23m - before moving for Porto's Maniche.

Vieira and Arsenal have so far refused to make any comment.

But Spanish radio station Cadena SER, owned by media group Prisa which has invested in Real, says Arsenal also want a few days to sign a replacement.

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3899527.stm)



And Maniche, a star of Portugal's Euro 2004 campaign, is understood to be Gunners boss Arsene Wenger's prime target.

Vieira, bought from AC Milan for £3.5m eight years ago, has maintained a policy of not commenting on a possible move to the Bernabeu despite constant speculation this summer.

Arsenal have also made no announcement as a club, telling BBC Sport on Tuesday they would not be commenting "until a player is bought or sold".

But Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has repeatedly stated that he expects the player to stay.

Real Madrid have also been characteristically tight-lipped, although director of football Emilio Butragueno did say last week that Vieira was "very important for us and our club".

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif Vieira is 40% of their team and that is what they will lose if he goes


Claude Makelele



Later Butragueno clarified that, saying: "The only thing I've said was Vieira's an 'interesting player'. I never confirmed that he was a target of ours."

Vieira has only spoken once about the issue, when he is cornered by a Spanish reporter during the club's pre-season tour.

"I am sorry," he said. "I cannot speak. This is not the right moment. I cannot talk about Real Madrid."

It is likely, however, that Arsenal would want to tie up the matter either way before their opening game of the season, the Community Shield against Manchester United on Sunday.

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Claude Makelele, the defensive midfielder who Real sold to Chelsea one year ago and never properly replaced, says he can see why his old club want Vieira.

"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."