Premiership: Vieira 'in talks' over Real deal

Patrick Vieira has reportedly held talks with Real Madrid with a view to a transfer to the Spanish capital.

According to reports the Arsenal midfielder was accompanied by his two agents and a lawyer as he met Madrid officials on Monday, before returning to London.

Reports said that the fee for Vieira, who is under contract to Arsenal until 2005, would be in the region of €42m.

Madrid president Florentino Perez said on Monday that the club hoped to make a big-money signing over the summer, adding that he was sure that Madrid's sports director Jorge Valdano had included Vieira as one of his targets.

Since Perez took charge of the club in July 2000, Madrid have broken the world transfer record in successive years, signing Luis Figo from Barcelona for €48m and last summer swooping for Juventus' Zinedine Zidane in a €58m move.

Zidane has reportedly recommended the acquisition of 25-year-old Vieira, capped 42 times by France. The pair were members of the French squad which won the World Cup in 1998 and the European Cup 2000.

Vieira, born in Senegal, played for Cannes and AC Milan before being signed by Arsene Wenger in 1996.

The powerful midfielder publicly aired his displeasure at the Gunners' transfer policy last summer and was said to be on the point of leaving. Over the last 12 months he has been linked to Manchester United and Juventus, as well as Madrid.