"Patrick is a big, big player for Arsenal and it is easy to see why Madrid want him," said Makelele, himself a former Real player.

"He is strong and effective to protect the midfield, but he also gives the ball to the strikers.

"More than this, Vieira is a symbol for Arsenal. He is very, very strong. If Vieira does not play for them, Arsenal changes.

"Vieira is 40 percent of their team and that is what they will lose if he goes," the Chelsea star said.

The Spanish Cadena SER radio station, which has close links to Real Madrid, reported Tuesday that Arsenal had agreed to sell French international midfielder Patrick Vieira to Real Madrid for 35 million euros (42 million dollars).

Real president Florentino Perez and David Dein, the Gunners vice-president, discussed the transfer on the telephone and agreed to the deal, AS sports daily website claimed.

AS was quoting a report carried by the Cadena SER which has close links to Real Madrid.

It added that Arsenal will use the money received to fund a deal to sign Portuguese midfielder Maniche from European champions Porto.

Vieira, who will reportedly sign a four-to-five year deal at the Bernabau and will receive around 4.5 million euros a year, is expected to put to paper by Thursday to enable him to play in the Champions League qualifier against either WIT of Georgia or Polish side Wisla Krakow.

The deal comes just two weeks after Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger had inisted that Vieira would be staying at Highbury.

Vieira is under contract with the Gunners until 2007, but was reported to be ready to quit Highbury, where he has nothing left to prove domestically having now won both of England's major domestic honours.

At Real, Vieira would link up with the likes of countryman Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Raul and Roberto Carlos.

Vieira has yet to play for Premiership champions Arsenal in their build-up to the new campaign because of a thigh injury picked up while playing for France at the European Championship in June.