Vieira signs new deal to stay at Highbury

Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira has signed a new three-year deal with the club.

Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira has signed a new three-year deal with the club.

The French superstar has put an end to speculation linking him with Real Madrid and Manchester United by committing himself to Highbury for the next three years.

Vieira will be paid £70,000 a week in an £11million contract according to reports in the British press this morning.

The 27-year-old's previous contract was due to expire next summer.

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"This is a key time for Arsenal - the next two or three years will be very important for the club's history," Vieira told The News Of The World.

"I genuinely feel lucky to be part of that. I believe in the people I work with. I believe in Arsene Wenger - both as a man and as a manager - and I am very happy to be part of it all.

"I still feel young and I have a lot of good football left in me. And although people were saying we played some of the finest football they have ever seen last season I still think Arsenal can take their football to another level.

"We can compete with the four clubs who reached last season's champions league semis - Real Madrid, Juventus and the two Milan clubs.

"What really matters is that that this club wants to fight against the best."

Vieira is convinced Arsenal can recapture the Premiership title from Manchester United despite not having the spending power of the Old Trafford club.

"I want to be part of the future of this club and I want to win the title back for Arsenal," said Vieira.

"I still believe we are the best team in the country - and we will continue to prove that next season.

"Other sides will feel that they can keep us down but that will not be the case.

"Money does not buy team spirit and friendship and that is what we have here."

Although he feels Arsenal already have players capable of competing at the highest level, Vieira accepts it would be nice to see manager Wenger add to the squad.

"The most important thing is to keep the players we already have at the club before thinking about adding to the squad.

"Yet the Champions League demands the best and it would be nice to attract more talent to the club."