Patrick Vieira, Newly of Manchester City, Will Still Be an Arsenal Legend

Today, Manchester City club manager Roberto Mancini signed his first player.

It wasn't anybody we expected.

Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was handed the No. 24 jersey.

Many people will say he should have stayed at Inter Milan out of loyalty to Arsenal or come at the end of the season when his contract would be up. But this issue requires a broader perspective than that.

Although the deal was a six-month loan, Mancini opted to sign him in the summer if he plays well.

His Arsenal History

Vieira started out in France but was signed by Italian giants Milan at a young age.

He made two appearances for Milan before moving to Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. It was the beginning of the revolution that Wenger was to produce, and Vieira took full part in it.

A cheap buy at £3.5m, Vieira paid back every penny, and he could be regarded as a steal. He was crucial to every trophy-winning team that Wenger managed at Arsenal, and he can arguably be regarded as the best defensive midfielder in his prime when he captained Arsenal to an unbeaten season in his debut.

Vieira won the double in 1998 and went on to captain Arsenal from 2002 on with Tony Adams. In total, he won three Premier League Titles, four FA Cups, and four Community Shields.

Although he left Arsenal for Juventus in 2005, Arsenal reached the Champions League Final, losing to Barcelona. Arsenal beat Juventus en route to the final—his heir, Cesc Fabregas, scoring.

Vieira could have helped Arsenal win the title after Lehman was sent off and could have added to his World Cup and Euro Championship medals.

Spell in Italy

Vieira moved to Juventus in 2005 for a reported £18m, where he played with Cannavaro, Thuram, Trezeguet, and Ibrahimovic.

Many people might not know this, but Vieira played for Milan, Inter Milan, and Juventus. Few players dare to play for the Milan rivals, but Vieira played for both.

He had no choice but to jump when the Calciopoli scandal hit Italian football and his team was stripped of their titles. Vieira moved from Juventus to Inter Milan mainly because he didn't want to play in the lower leagues. He won the Italian League (Serie A) on three occasions.

With Stankovic and Zanetti always on form, Vieira fell down the pecking order at Milan. His situation became worse when versatile midfielder Muntari signed and Thiago Motta was signed by Mourinho last summer. Since then, Vieira's chances have been limited.

With Mancini taking the managerial position, he opted to sign for Manchester City.

What Lies Ahead and His Arsenal Return

At Manchester City, Vieira will be a squad player; he will play occasionally depending on the fitness levels of Barry and De Jong. Mancini could work out a formation to fit the veteran midfielder into the starting lineup.

Also, the World Cup is this summer, and players are scrambling for playing time—Beckham to Milan, Donovan to Everton, and many others.

So, at 33, Vieira's decision to play under one of his good managers shouldn't come into question, as a spot in the World Cup might very well be his last, considering his age.

Arsenal fans will be geared for his return, and keep this in mind: Vieira has never played a competitive game at the Emirates Stadium, his only game coming during the opening ceremony for the stadium.

We will also be looking out for Adebayor, Toure, and Sylvinho, who left Arsenal in 2001.

Let's hope no one bleeds this time.

In Arsene we trust.