Juventus step up Vieira interest

Juventus remain undeterred in their pursuit of Patrick Vieira following a meeting in London between Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, Juve's general manager Luciano Moggi, chief executive Antonio Girauldo and vice-president Roberto Bettega on Wednesday.

The Italian club are seeking a holding midfielder and were looking to buy one of Lyon's two young central-midfield players Michael Essien or Mahamadou Diarra.

However, with Chelsea's courtship of Essien progressing to the extent that he is expected to join from Lyon in the next 72 hours, the French champions are refusing to relinquish Diarra without a fee of more than £20 million. That prompted the Serie A title holders' manager Fabio Capello to turn his sights on Vieira. Arsenal will not easily yield and are expected to hold out for more than the reported £12 million bid so far for their captain.

Nevertheless, the young Arsenal striker Arturo Lupoli appears convinced Vieira will leave and was quoted in yesterday's Tuttosport saying: "He wants to go. He will transform the Bianconeri; in the match he rules the midfield. It's a great loss for us."

Whatever Vieira's fate, Arsenal can expect a boost to their coffers in the coming months as they refinance the £260 million loan behind their Emirates stadium project. Currently fixed over 14.5 years, the loan term is expected to be set over 25 years by the time Arsenal occupy the ground in August 2006.

Arsenal could, in the meantime, be involved in a second Football Association inquiry in six months over allegations of a potentially illegal approach for the Seville striker, Julio Baptista.

The reports have piqued the interest of the FA's compliance unit, whose officials may contact Baptista and his club over the allegations.

The Brazil international confirmed this week that Wenger had travelled to his homeland to discuss "Arsenal and his team", prompting the Seville president Jose Maria del Nido to say: "Arsenal had neither the permission to meet the player, nor have they asked for it. If they have (met Baptista) they have done it on the margins of Fifa regulations, which prevents these meetings without the consent of the (selling) team."

The FA has warned Arsenal before over breaches of Fifa regulations: they were handed a suspended transfer ban in January after mistakenly using an unlicensed agent in contract negotiations with Quincy Owusu-Abeyie. Though that ban would not be triggered even by a proven illegal approach, the FA may feel there is cause to investigate more closely the allegations of a second breach of regulations.

Arsenal sources said last night that they are "relaxed" about the allegations. Seville are expected to use the threat of an inquiry as a lever in negotiations, in which a £10 million bid for Baptista has already been rejected. They want closer to £15 million.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher ended a traumatic week at Liverpool by signing four-year contracts last night, and the England pair are now intent upon adding the Premiership title to their haul.

Gerrard's signature on a deal worth £100,000 a week was greeted with huge relief at the club after his U-turn over a move to Chelsea. Carragher, who has the same agent as his club-mate in Struan Marshall, has seen his wage increase from £40,000 to nearer £65,000 a week.

"Now we're going to make winning the Premiership title our top priority," said Carragher. "We know how much it means to everyone here to get the trophy. I don't know how soon we'll be able to do it and it's going to be tough to close the gap, but there's no point being defeatist about it. We proved in Europe what we can do on the big occasion and we've got to produce the same on a consistent basis in the league."

Gerrard added: "I spoke to the manager and players and apologised to them for all the speculation. I don't think it's been helpful. If we have a fully fit squad this year with Steven Gerrard on top form then we can bring more success to the football club." Guardian Service