Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is seriously considering a move to bring Patrick Vieira back to the club.
The Daily Mail says the lack of a natural leader has encouraged the Arsenal manager to explore the possibility of signing his former skipper from Inter Milan on a free transfer.
Wenger and Vieira have remained close since he was sold to Juventus for £13.7m in 2005 and the midfielder has been a regular visitor to the Emirates. Contact between the pair has intensified over the past fortnight, which may explain why a potential move to Arsenal rivals Tottenham looks to have hit the buffers.
Vieira is desperate to bow out on a high with France in next summer's World Cup and would be ready to accept a one-year deal on a pay-as-you-play basis. He accepts he would not play every week but the chance to show he still has what it takes does appeal.