Position: Midfielder
Born: 23.06.76
Club: Juventus

A wonderfully talented and powerful midfielder, Patrick Vieira is one of the most influential players in the world - just look at how much Arsenal have missed him this season.

Along with Claude Makelele, the Juventus midfielder will provide the steel in the midfield to go with the silky skills of Zinedine Zidane - provided he can keep his cool.

Like Zidane, Vieira began his career with Cannes before moving to Italy, joining Serie A giants AC Milan.

However, frustrated at the lack of opportunities, Vieira agreed to join Arsenal in 1996 for £3million and though relatively unheard of, he became an integral part of the Gunners midfield as they won the Double in 1998.

He captained the London club to a second Double in 2002 and also the 2004 Premiership crown before leaving - in something of a surprise move - for Turin last summer.

Prior to that Sir Alex Ferguson is thought to have made more than one approach to take the Senegal-born star to Old Trafford while Real Madrid were continuously linked with a move to recreate his partnership with Zidane.