Wenger has 'surrendered' in Vieira battle: Spanish press

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s ultimatum to midfielder Patrick Vieira to decide by this weekend if he wants to move to Real Madrid has been taken in the Spanish press as an admission of defeat and that the Frenchman’s arrival in Spain is imminent.

In Spain Wenger had until now been portrayed as the main obstacle to the Senegal-born French international’s move to Real Madrid.

However, with Vieira’s Arsenal and France team-mate Robert Pires saying Vieira wants out, the pendulum has tilted back towards Madrid.

Wenger’s latest remarks have been taken in the Spanish press as a virtual surrender.

“I want him to be part of the future of this team, but I want him to be clear in his mind, whether his heart is with us or not,” said Wenger.

The Spanish press crowed at what they consider to be Wenger’s admission he may lose his player whom he has given a deadline of this weekend to decide.

“Wenger surrenders and gives free rein to Vieira’s departure,” headlines Diario AS, which insists it will be hard for Madrid to raise their offer for the player much higher than the £19.95m (€30m) already reported to be on the table.

AS’ main rival Marca carries on in a similar vein, but prefers to centre its story on Vieira’s Arsenal team-mate Robert Pires.

“We all want him to stay, but he has chosen and we respect that. I wish him all the luck in the world at the Santiago Bernabeu,” said Pires.

However, although it does now look likely that Vieira will be on his way to Madrid, the paper admits that the midfielder has been “Florentino Perez’s most complicated signing.”

Construction mogul Perez has set the standard for audacious transfer coups with deals for Luis Figo (2000), Zinedine Zidane (2001), Ronaldo (2002) and David Beckham (2003).

Arsenal’s reported asking price of £27.95m (€42m) has made this the most difficult deal for Real to tie up.

If, or when, Vieira finally lands in Madrid, he is certain to find a warm welcome from utility player Ivan Helguera, who wants to see his side tighten up in their defensive duties.

“I don’t know if Vieira will come or not, I want the best for Real Madrid and if that means Vieira coming, then I’m delighted,” said Helguera.

Vieira’s arrival would do a lot to strengthen the defensive aspect of a side that missed out on winning anything last season because of their weakness at the back.

“Here everyone has to defend, not just the defenders,” Helguera continued.

“The team is weak in defence, not just in the defensive line. Everyone in the side has to defend,” he said, adding that coach Jose Antonio Camacho was the man to help remedy that.

"He did a good job as Spain coach and here you can tell he’s in charge,” he said.

And Vieira’s signing would no doubt make Camacho’s task that little bit easier.