By Myles Palmer
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ON AN exceptionally hot Wednesday we heard that Patrick has gone.
The word was that Vieira will leave Arsenal if a fee can be agreed with Juventus or Real Madrid.
Is Juve a stalking horse?
Because Juventus do not have £15 million.
Juventus are the best team in Italy because they are the most prudent club in Italy.
They control their finances very tightly. They know when to sell a player and when to buy.
Nobody wants to buy Trezeguet, so Capello will have to pair him with the gifted giant, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Defender Zebina is worth £7 million, tops.
Juve could sell Zebina to raise cash, but not enough to buy Vieira.
One unreliable report said Arsenal want £11 million for Vieira.
He almost went to Real Madrid a year ago for £23 million.
He is a year older, but his price cannot now be 50% of what it was in August 2004.
My guess is that Arsenal would ask for £17 million and accept £15 million.
At 29 he is a depreciating asset.
However, no footballer can do all the things Vieira can do when he is performing at the top of his game.
He is inimitable, even if he is not irreplaceable.
WHEN VIEIRA IS SOLD I’ll say : Thanks for everything – and good luck to you.
Arsenal will now need a midfield powerhouse who can run all day and win tackles and explode forward and fire shots.
That man is Kolo Toure.
Kolo is the Daley Thompson of football.
A decathlete.
Kolo could throw the discus, run 3,000 metres, do the long jump, the high jump and the pole-vault.
He is a super-gladiator.
In six months Kolo Toure could become Africa’s Steven Gerrard.
IF PIRES LEAVES, my team for the Community shield is :
Lehmann ; Lauren Campbell(capt) Senderos Cole ;
Hleb Toure Gilberto Reyes ; Bergkamp Henry.
July 13th 2005