Wenger defends Vieira sale
Arsene Wenger has defended Arsenal's decision to sell Patrick Vieira.
Arsene Wenger has defended Arsenal's decision to sell Patrick Vieira to Juventus this summer.Juve pulled off one of the biggest transfers of the summer when persuading The Gunners to sell their midfield driving force.
The France international has flourished in Turin, but revealed in his autobiography that he would have stayed in North London had the club fought to keep him.
Wenger admits that he could not offer Vieira a deal similar to what was on the table in Turin and claims he reluctantly allowed the player to move on for 'his own benefit'.
"If Patrick feels he was not wanted here any more, we will leave the final word to him," said Wenger. "But he had either [just over] two years with us or five years with Juventus at the age of 29.
"I felt that if I was not able to offer him - straight away - three more years, then I wouldn't be honest with him.
"He gave nine of his best years to Arsenal and somewhere you have to let him choose how he will finish his career. He would have been 32 at the end of his contract here and you have to respect that.
"Maybe it's right that he left in the year that he wanted to leave less than in the other years, but he was given a choice of rationality, more than of heart."
