Patrick Vieira as Arsenal manager? Invincible admits he would love to boss club one day and flattered by Arsene Wenger backing

Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira has spoken of his desire to one day take charge of his former club.

Vieira led Nice to a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1 in his first season as a manager in European football and is currently in his second term with the French club.

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The former Gunners midfielder won three Premier League titles and two FA Cups during his nine years in north London, captaining the ‘Invincibles’ side of 2003/2004, before leaving for Juventus in 2005.

Vieira, who also spent two years in charge of MLS outfit New York City, was linked with succeeding Arsene Wenger last summer before Unai Emery was appointed.

“Yes, like any player, when we do this job we want to touch the very highest level,” Vieira told RMC, when asked about potentially managing Arsenal.

“But the very high level I can touch with Nice from the moment we give ourselves the means to succeed and from the moment the way which we work is quite consistent.

“But we do this job, and I do this job, to one day to be the coach of a team that participates in the Champions League.”

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Vieira was praised by his former boss Wenger, who hailed him for constructing his career ‘intelligently and patiently’, and the World Cup winner admits he was ‘flattered’.

“I’m really privileged to have worked under Arsene and him saying that is really flattering,” he said.

“If I manage Arsenal one day I will take him for dinner and I will pay the bill!

“He didn’t say it to put pressure (on me). It’s just flattering that the guy who spent over 20 years there thinks I have the quality to manage a big club like Arsenal one day.”