Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira says he is “honoured and proud” to have been chosen as the new manager of Senegal.
The former Gunners midfielder will replace Pape Thiaw as the helm after the Lions of Teranga bowed out of the World Cup at the last-32 stage.
Writing on Instagram about his new role, Vieira said: “(I am) honoured and proud to join Senegal as selector for the national team A.
“I thank the federation Senegalese Football Team for their trust. I'm looking forward to meeting the group and starting work together on the next steps.”
The 50-year-old, who was famously part of the Arsenal ‘Invincibles’ team which went through the 2003/04 Premier League season unbeaten, will speak more about his appointment when he is officially presented in Dakar on Friday.
Vieira was born in the Senegalese capital and lived in the country until moving to France at the age of eight. After turning professional, he went on to represent France in the international game and was a World Cup winner with Les Bleus in 1998.
At Friday’s ceremony, Vieira will also name his first Senegal squad.
Several Premier League stars are likely to feature in it, including Man City’s Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr, of Crystal Palace.
The squad will face Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers away to Mozambique and Ethiopia later this month, as well as a friendly in Marseille against the Comoros Islands in early October.
Thiaw lost his job following Senegal’s World Cup exit at the hands of Belgium. They had led 2-0 with only five minutes remaining but allowed their opponents to draw level before the Belgians won the game in extra time.
As well as his experience at the top level of the sport as a player, which included a spell at Manchester City, Vieira has also managed the likes of Crystal Palace, Nice and, most recently, Genoa.
