What does a Premier League midfielder look like? Before 1996, that answer was defined by muscle, brawn and a proclivity for imperious, bone-crunching tackles.
Then came Patrick Vieira.
When Ian Wright laid eyes on the lanky 19-year-old upon his arrival at Arsenal from Milan, he assumed, like so many others, that Vieira would be eaten alive by the meaty ball-winners that defined early 1990s English football. No one could be that lithe and slim and hope to dominate an English midfield. Not back then.
Yet, in training, Wright and the others couldn’t get near him. No one could. And no one would.
Vieira’s impact on the Premier League can be viewed through two prisms. There is how he redefined the very notion of an elite midfielder in the League with his gruesome yet balletic style. And there is his ferocious rivalry with Manchester United ’s Roy Keane.
Vieira moved to North London as a sort of pre-present from Arsene Wenger, who was moving from Japan to Highbury. Vieira was critical in revamping the Gunners’ midfield, but his rangy, lithe movements were unprecedented in the Premier League, providing a mould from which the modern midfielder has emerged.
The manner in which Vieira could win back a ball and spring up to complete a pass with equal parts pace and power all in one fell movement was stunning, and for oppositions, debilitating. His tenacity was as unmatched as his technical skill, cutting him a demon for rivals to attempt to handle and push through.
On pure skill alone, Vieira’s £4.8million price tag is a robbery by Arsenal. But the rivalry that Vieira cultivated between himself and Keane is iconic and ultimately priceless. The aggro was never confected or manufactured by player, manager or media. This was a roiling, pulsating, deep-seated animosity between two legendary, inimitable midfielders in their own rights.
The sense of direct conflict spurred both players forward technically and competitively, providing spectators with an intensity on the pitch unlike any other. The Arsenal and Manchester United rivalry simply doesn’t have the same dimension without Vieira and Keane.
Vieira made more than 400 appearances for the Gunners, helping lead Arsenal to four FA Cups and three League titles - including, of course, the unforgettable Invincibles season of 2003/04. He captained the side from 2002 until his departure to Juventus in 2005, instilling in his teammates and the club his unfettered desire to win at all costs.
There is no indisputable mathematical formula that we can use to plug and chug the best ever Premier League transfer of the last 30 years; maybe one day, with the statistic brigades mounting their clout. In the meantime, however, any appraisals are rooted firmly in the viscera. There, you find Vieira.
So, does Vieira get your vote? Or maybe another League icon pips him to the post? Cast your Best Premier League Transfers Ever vote above.
If the form is not loading, CLICK HERE .
Once you have cast your vote, tell us your favourite Vieira memories in the comments section below .
