Vieira, who has been in charge of Nice since last year, was linked with the vacant post after Unai Emery was sacked at the end of November.
90min revealed earlier this month that, alongside Arteta, Vieira was of primary interest to Arsenal. That is despite the club being linked with a host of more established managerial names. But Arsenal never took it any further with Vieira and didn’t even make contact in the end.
Asked if he heard from Arsenal, the Frenchman said that he hadn’t.
“No [there was no contact]. It’s flattering seeing your name everywhere but I am under contract with Nice,” he is quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror.
“I have known since I arrived how lucky I am to be involved with this club’s project. I don’t have any intention or desire to go and look elsewhere.”
Vieira led Nice to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season. Prior to joining the club, he was in charge at New York City FC in MLS and had earlier cut his managerial teeth in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad (Under-23).
Vieira is one of several former Arsenal players who played under long serving boss Arsene Wenger to have tried their hand at management. Thierry Henry was briefly in charge of Monaco last season, while Sol Campbell oversaw a miraculous relegation escape at Macclesfield Town.
Freddie Ljungberg has obviously also gone in that direction, having served as Arsenal interim boss until Arteta’s appointment. Edu Gaspar hasn’t gone down the coaching route, but is an official instead, while Gilberto Silva was also a technical director at Panathinaikos in Greece.
For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!
Source : 90min