MILAN - Italian champions Juventus yesterday agreed to buy Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira for 20 million euros ($NZ37 million).
Juventus said the French international midfielder had signed a five-year deal with the Turin-based team.
"Arsenal Football Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for the transfer of Patrick Vieira
to Juventus," the London Premier League club said in a statement.
"At this stage, Patrick is now finalising his personal terms and conditions with Juventus."
Vieira, 29, was the core of Arsene Wenger's Highbury side which have won three league titles and four FA Cups under the French coach.
Vieira told Arsenal's website: "When you spend nine years at the club, like I did, it is a difficult decision to leave.
"But in the end you have to make a choice for your future. It was a very difficult decision, but I am happy with it.
"I made the decision to leave because I felt it was time for me to have a new challenge. But that does not mean I was unhappy or that I was having a problem at Arsenal.
"I can go with my head held high. I did my best every day in training and in every match," he said.
Vieira had been closely linked with moves to Real Madrid in the past two close seasons and said in May he wanted to see out the last two years of his contract with Arsenal.
His move will re-unite him with Fabio Capello, current manager of Juventus but formerly boss of AC Milan when they signed Vieira in November 1995 from Cannes.
Juventus said his fee would be paid in three instalments over two years, with an initial 10 million euros being followed by a further five million euros in July 2006 and July 2007.
A 1998 World Cup winner and Euro 2000 winner with France, Senegalese-born Vieira has also been one of English football's most consistent performers since making his debut in September 1996, shortly before Wenger's formal arrival at the club.
His last act in an Arsenal shirt was lifting the FA Cup in May after the penalty shootout defeat of Manchester United in the Cardiff final. Vieira scored the final spot kick.
"Patrick was a great player for us, one of the greatest in the club's history and I feel I had a special relationship with him because I made him come here," Wenger said.
"I think his impact, not only at Arsenal but in English football overall was just tremendous."
- REUTERS
