This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to French publication Nice-Matin, Arsenal have made club legend Patrick Vieira their priority to take over from Unai Emery on a permanent basis.
What’s the word?
The Gunners are in the market for a new manager following the sacking of Emery last week, after the north London side went on a woeful win-less run of seven games.
Reports had suggested they had drawn up a 12-man shortlist for the job, with the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Mikel Arteta and Brendan Rodgers all in the frame. But now, Nice-Matin claim Invincibles hero Vieira is the board’s choice to succeed Emery, and that the Frenchman is now considering their interest.
Risk
Make no mistake about it, appointing Vieira as the club’s new permanent boss would be a major risk. The Gunners are in a desperate situation at the moment, reeling from the effects of Emery’s disappointing spell, and yet another year of Europa League football. Whilst the Frenchman would no doubt get the fans’ backing due to his standing as a player, does he still have the managerial credentials to steer this ship from choppy waters?
Vieira enjoyed a relatively impressive first campaign in charge at current club Nice, finishing in seventh place in Ligue 1. But this season has been anything but smooth sailing, with the French side languishing in 14th and already having conceded 26 goals in just 16 top-flight games. It would be an appointment based on nostalgia, and seen through rose-tinted spectacles. And that kind of subjectivity is something the Gunners could do without.
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