Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira appointed as Crystal Palace manager

Arsenal legend and prolific midfielder Patrick Vieira will begin a new chapter on the sidelines of a football pitch after being appointed as the new manager of Premier League club Crystal Palace, the club announced on Sunday.

The 45-year-old, who was considered one of the best players of his generation, has signed a three-year deal with the Eagles.

Vieira played an instrumental role in helping the Gunner achieve massive domestic success between 1997 and 2005 under veteran manager Arsene Wenger. He, while registering 396 appearances for the North London club, won three Premier League titles and was named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year for six consecutive years.

Post his Arsenal era, the Frenchman moved to Juventus for a season before proceeding to Inter Milan, where he won three Serie A and two Supercoppa Italiana cup titles. He eventually hung his boots in England in 2011, after winning an FA Cup with Manchester City.

On his appointment, Vieira said: "I am really excited to have this opportunity to return to the Premier League, and manage this great football club, as we begin a new chapter together.

"It is a project that is really appealing to me, having spoken a lot with the Chairman and Sporting Director about their ambition and plans for the whole club, including the Academy. The club has fantastic foundations in place after many years in the Premier League, and I hope we can make further improvements and continue to drive the club forward.

"I am also very excited to experience the atmosphere the club's supporters make at Selhurst Park and away from home too, and I know just how important that can be for the team."

On the international stage, Vieira made more than 100 appearances for France over a 12-year period, which included several spells as captain, winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and UEFA European Championship in 2000.