Patrick Vieira ‘ready’ for the Arsenal job and would be perfect replacement for manager Unai Emery, talkSPORT told
Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira is 'ready' to take the step up and take over as manager of the Premier League side.
That’s according to French football journalist Julien Laurens, who told talkSPORT the 'Invincibles' hero would be a perfect replacement for current boss, Unai Emery.
Emery is under pressure in the Gunners hotseat after a run of just two wins from their last ten Premier League games.
Their recent form has been particularly alarming for frustrated fans, having thrown away leads to draw in four consecutive matches before losing 2-0 to Leicester last weekend.
The board appear to be sticking with Emery for now, with reports claiming Arsenal could hold off making a change at the top until the end of the season.
The likes of Jose Mourinho, Massimiliano Allegri, Brendan Rodgers and Mikel Arteta have been linked with the role in recent weeks, while Vieira has spoken of his desire to return to his former club as manager.
And, speaking on Hawksbee and Jacobs, Laurens said the Nice boss is ready-made for the job.
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“I think we’re still far away from Unai Emery leaving the club and having to find a replacement, but if and when it happens Patrick Vieira will be on the shortlist and rightly so,” said the French journalist.
“He’s been very good at Nice. He arrived in a difficult environment with the club up for sale, there was a lot of uncertainty, and they finish seventh in his first campaign in charge.
“This season they are 12th in the table but only two points from fourth place in a tight Ligue 1, so there have been a lot of good things Vieira has done.
“He’s learned a lot since arriving back in Europe from New York City FC in the United States.
“I think he will certainly feel ready for this kind of challenge.
“Whether Arsenal pick him or not is a different matter, but I certainly think he will be ready and I think he looks ready.”
Laurens believes one key reason why Vieira would be perfectly suited to the Emirates job is he would work wonders with their under-performing squad.
Vieira has a track-record of improving the players under his tutelage and as an example, Laurens described one Nice player who he believes will soon complete a big-money move away from the club after his ‘exceptional improvement’ under the boss.
“In terms of man-management you can just imagine how good Patrick Vieira is,” he added.
“The Nice players have all improved under him. If we pick just one of the players – Algerian wing-back Youcef Atal.
"He has, for me, become one of the best right-backs in the whole of Europe, not just in France.
“Under Vieira over the last 18 months his improvement has just been exceptional, now he’s an incredible player.
“I believe this will be the last season we’ll see him at Nice and in Ligue 1, he will go to a much bigger club because he’s a great talent who has really improved working with Vieira.”