Real step up Vieira moves

Real Madrid increased their determined moves to sign Arsenal's Patrick Vieira by meeting with his agent Marc Roger over the last 48 hours in the Spanish capital and outlining their offer.

Vieira, 25, flew back from Madrid to London yesterday morning and it is being widely speculated in Spain that he also met senior Real officials.

The France midfielder, valued at £20million-plus, talked about the prospect of moving to the Bernabeu last month and admitted: 'I still have two years on my contract at Arsenal but I'll take the decision before the World Cup, in consultation with Arsene Wenger and the club.'

Only on Monday, Real president Florentino Perez revealed that his director of football Jorge Valdano had identified Vieira as one of his two top targets this summer. He said: 'Valdano has good taste and I'm sure that Vieira and striker Andriy Shevchenko are on his list.'

Vieira wants to answer his growing list of suitors, including Manchester United, Juventus and Inter Milan, before the end of this season so that he creates minimum interference with France's attempt to retain the World Cup.

The name of Roger is enough to send a shudder through Highbury's marble halls as he was the man who persuaded Nicolas Anelka to tear up his contract two-and-a-half years ago in favour of a £23m move to Real.

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