Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira says he is staying with the Premier League champions after having considered a move to Real Madrid.

The 28-year-old France midfielder, who has spent eight years at the north London club, had been linked with a move to Spain during the close season, casting a shadow over Arsenal's preparations for the defence of their title.

"I am staying at the club," Vieira told the Arsenal web site on Friday.

"I've spent the summer considering my future and a possible move to Real Madrid but my love for Arsenal and the ties which I have here were too strong for me to break."

"I am proud to be captain of the club and I'm looking forward to achieving my football ambitions with Arsenal."

Vieira, who was named as France captain following Zinedine Zidane's retirement from international football on Thursday, was Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's first signing when he joined for 3.5 million pounds ($6.41 million) from AC Milan in 1996.

The combative ball-winner, who missed Arsenal's 3-1 win over Manchester United in last Sunday's Community Shield due to injury, had been given until this weekend by Wenger to decide if he would stay at Highbury or go to the Bernabeu.

"Whilst we understood Patrick's quandary, our position throughout has remained the same. We are a Club driven by success on the pitch and that means we do not seek to sell our best players," Arsenal said in a statement.

"Arsene Wenger has assembled a highly talented squad of players with the ambition of winning every major honour the game has on offer. Patrick is pivotal to that objective and it has always been our desire for him to stay here at Arsenal.

"We now look forward to Patrick captaining the team to further glory over the coming seasons.

"On a final note, we wish to state that, despite any suggestions to the contrary, Real Madrid have acted properly throughout this uncertain period," the London club added.