Patrick Vieira Honoured by Arsenal Links but Says No Contact Has Been Made

Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has said he would be ready to take charge of the club if called upon to replace outgoing manager Arsene Wenger but has had no contact regarding the position.

Wenger will step down at the end of the season after 22 years in charge, and Vieira, who captained the side under him and was a key fixture in the Gunners' three Premier League title wins, was asked if the club had been in touch about replacing his French compatriot.

"No," he replied, per ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. "I'm sure [the press] will know before I do."

Vieira reiterated he and the club have "never been in touch" regarding the matter when he was asked if it was an honour to be linked with the job.

The 41-year-old coached Manchester City's youth side after his retirement from playing in 2011, and in 2016, he became manager of New York City FC.

Speaking to The Times' Steve Brenner, Vieira welcomed the links to the Gunners and said that while he is not itching to leave New York, he feels ready to make the step up to European football: 

"I mentally know what's going on, what people are saying.

"And I'm really happy about that because I think it's good to have your name linked with a team like Arsenal, but honestly, it's not something that will stop me doing what I am doing at the moment.

"Of course it's an honour to be mentioned with Arsenal. It was somewhere I spent nine years and I love the club. I am always going to have a deeper relationship with Arsenal. That [alone] is not enough to coach that team, but I am ready to coach any side in Europe.

"I don't want this to be perceived that I want to go because I don't want to leave. But if the question is as simple as 'are you ready to manage any team in Europe?' then I would say yes I am ready."

ESPN's Janusz Michallik believes recruiting him should be a priority for Arsenal, while football writer James McNicholas is conflicted:

Vieira has guided his side to second in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference standings in each of his two full campaigns in charge—they finished eighth the year before he took over—while this season they're top after eight matches.

The Frenchman is yet to deliver silverware as a manager—aside from the Premier League International Cup during his time with City's youth setup—which is of little surprise given his relative inexperience.

His lack of top-level credentials as a manager would make hiring him something of a gamble for the Gunners, who will be looking for a candidate who can reverse years of decline under Wenger.

He seems to be a promising young coach, though, one who has an obsession for detail and has made a point of spending time with the likes of Maurizio Sarri and Jorge Sampaoli in order to learn from some of the world's top footballing minds, per the Mirror's Kris Heneage.

Vieira could take the club in a different direction, so he's worth Arsenal's consideration even if he would be a risky hire.