Davids Faces Uncertain Future
Monday 8th October 2001
Speculation over the future of Juventus star Edgar Davids continued to mount on Monday, despite a firm denial from Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein that a swap deal involving France midfielder Patrick Vieira was a possibility.
According to reports in Italy, Juventus are angry with Davids for his failure to acknowledge the considerable support and legal aid that the club provided him with throughout his three-and-a-half month drugs ban.
The Holland international was drafted straight back into the first-team by coach Marcello Lippi when the ban was lifted, but he has so far only repaid the club's faith with a string of poor performances.
The 28-year-old midfielder was dismissed during the second half of his first match back against Celtic in the Champions' League last month after struggling to keep up with the pace of the game.
Speculation that the Turin giants had stepped up their bid to sign Vieira as a direct replacement for Davids grew on Saturday when the France international admitted that he would consider a move to the Stadio Dele Alpi.
Both clubs, however, denied on Monday that a swap deal was imminent.
Gunners chief Dein, who claimed in the summer that he would make it his "personal crusade" to keeper Vieira at Highbury, insisted: "No discussions have taken place with Juventus or anyone else. Patrick is not for sale."
Dein's comments were then backed up by Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi.
"We have not made a move for Vieira. He is a player we wanted last April, not now," he explained.
"Maybe we will look at him [Vieira] again in the future, but who can say if we will need for a midfielder and not a forward or defender?" he added.
Vieira had a public spat with Lazio's Sinisa Mihajlovic over racist comments the Yugoslavia defender was alleged to have made in a Champions' League match last season.
But on Saturday, the 25-year-old seemed much more receptive to a switch back to Serie A. "Contrary to what has been said, I have not closed the door on a move to Serie A," said Vieira.
"I haven't met anyone for the moment and will only do so when the time is right. Money won't be the most important criteria when I come to take my decision but for now I have an important season ahead of me with the Gunners."
Davids was banned from club and international football by Fifa when he tested positive for use of the banned steroid nandrolone back in May.
