Italian champions Juventus have confirmed their interest in signing Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira.

Juventus club administrator Antonio Giraudo admitted: “Vieira has great quality, as a player and as a man.

“There’s no doubt that we are interested, even if it’s going to be very difficult to take him away from Arsenal, a very solid club.”

Yesterday, Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood conceded that 29-year-old Vieira might leave Highbury. “Patrick’s aware they’ve approached us. It all very much depends on what they offer and what he wants to do,” Hill-Wood said.