D-Day for Vieira

Arsenal looked to be losing their battle to keep Patrick Vieira at Highbury today, after reports in Spain that the club have accepted a £23.1 million bid from Real Madrid.

Arsenal sources insisted early today that no formal agreement had been reached.

But Spanish radio station Cadena SER, whose parent company has close financial links with Real Madrid, reported late last night that a fee for the French midfielder had been agreed following a phone conversation between Arsenal vice chairman David Dein and Madrid president Florentino Perez.

According to the report, Arsenal have asked for time to find a replacement before signing off the deal in time for Vieira to be registered by Madrid ahead of tomorrow's Champions League deadline. Porto midfielder Maniche is thought to be a target.

Prisa, the media group which owns Cadena SER, has an investment in Real Madrid TV.

If Vieira is to go, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Dein want it sorted out as quickly as possible so that plans to bolster the squad can be drawn up immediately.

The 28-year-old player is having treatment for a thigh injury which would prevent him playing for Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United in Cardiff.

Throughout another summer of speculat ion linking Vieira with a move to Madrid, the player has failed to come out and distance himself from the reports.