Patrick Vieira , the former Arsenal midfielder and Crystal Palace manager is set to be named as the new boss of Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg. According to BBC Sport, Vieira will sign a three-year contract and the deal should be finalized on Sunday. Vieira was appointed Palace boss in July 2021 but after a 12th-placed finish that season, he was axed in March after a 12-game winless run.
The midfielder started his coaching career in a youth development role with Manchester City, before taking charge of sister club New York City FC in 2015. The French midfielder also coached Ligue 1 side Nice from 2018 to 2020. Vieira will take charge of a Strasbourg team that finished 15th in Ligue 1 last season, five points clear of the drop zone.
The club has recently been bought by Chelsea's owners, who have agreed a deal to acquire a majority stake in the Alsace-based outfit. Vieira will replace Frederic Antonetti, who agreed to part ways with Strasbourg following the recent investment. Antonetti had guided the club away from relegation last term but was reportedly unhappy with the new direction of the club.
Vieira is one of the most decorated players in French football history, having won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups with Arsenal, as well as the World Cup and European Championship with France. The Senegalese-born also played for Juventus, Inter Milan, and Manchester City before retiring in 2011. The 47-year-old will be hoping to revive his managerial career at Strasbourg, where he will face the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Lyon, and Monaco in Ligue 1.
