Few matters have taken up as much backpage column inches as Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira's future over the last two years.

Today's news that he is in talks to extend his current contract with the north London club marks the latest development in an ongoing saga that has seen him staying, leaving and then staying again.

Here is a collection of statements which have been attributed to Vieira and the other main protagonists regarding his future during the last two years.

Vieira, June 11, 2000: "I have had four great years with Arsenal, but maybe now is the time for a change. I want to experience something else. I love Arsenal and the fans, but I have to consider what is now best for my career. I know the likes of Juventus are interested in me."

Vieira, June 13, 2000: "Manu Petit and Marc Overmars leaving for Barcelona was a huge surprise to me. I prefer to stay here and learn what I have to learn to go to that next step up. I think Arsenal are improving and want to move up as well. My ambition is to stay here and grow with the club."

Wenger, August 16, 2000, after Bordeaux cheekily try and engineer a swap deal of Sylvain Wiltord for Vieira: "We want him to be forever at Arsenal, we want him to be at the club on a long-term basis. I had the chairman of Bordeaux on the phone last night again, and he just wanted to tell me 'give me Vieira for Wiltord and we have a deal'. But I said, 'no, this is not the case. We want to keep Vieira'."

Vieira, November 10, 2000: "I can't imagine leaving Arsenal unless the club tells me, 'Patrick, we don't want you any more'. I'm playing for an ambitious club that wants to become the best in Europe, which wants to hunt trophies. I share those ambitions. I'm living in a city where I've adapted very well. Why take the risk to go elsewhere?"

Vieira, December 19, 2000: "I would not return to Italy, no, absolutely not. Although there are large teams in Italy which are interested in me, I will not return. There is an intolerable atmosphere of the racism which prevails and I grew up in an atmosphere of equal rights."

Vieira, January 16, 2001: "I'm so happy here, I have four years left on my contract, and there is no chance I will leave here."

Vieira, April 18, 2001: "I'm under contract until 2004 but I always say that you never know in football. Anything can happen."

Vieira, April 26, 2001: "I want to make it clear to every Arsenal fan that I have no intention of going to Italy or anywhere else. I became a better player after coming to England under Arsene Wenger so why should I even consider leaving Arsenal?"

Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, June 20, 2001: "Patrick Vieira is an Arsenal player and he is not for sale at any price."

Vieira's agent Marc Roger, June 23, 2001: "I was in the meeting when Patrick told Arsene Wenger and David Dein he wants to leave. He wanted to tell them face to face. They are fully aware of his intentions to move on and they know the score."

Vieira, June 25, 2001: "I need to leave because I want to win more trophies and I just cannot see that happening at Arsenal. Certainly not over the next few years, anyway. Comparing Arsenal to the big clubs in Europe this season is going to be quite ridiculous. I do not honestly see Arsenal finishing in the top five in the league - and you can forget the Champions League. Arsene Wenger has signed two 'hopeful' players - Francis Jeffers and Giovanni van Bronckhorst - who haven't proved themselves in the Premiership yet. One of them is a boy of 20."

Chairman Peter Hill Wood, June 27, 2001: on reports linking Vieira with Manchester United: "Sadly from the comments coming from him and his agent, he seems determined to leave - but he will not dictate to us who we do business with. Selling one of our best players to our closest rivals would not make any sense. We have not agreed to sell him and, anyway, Manchester United is out of the question."

Wenger, July 18, 2001: "He [Vieira] is the umbilical cord between the team and the fans and that is why the fans are suffering today. Letting him go would be a sign of lack of ambition."

Manchester United Chief Executive Peter Kenyon, July 18, 2001, refutes a claim from Wenger that the Red Devils made an illegal approach for Vieira: "I did speak to Arsenal in our interest and that was as far as it went. We made it quite clear we were interested if the player were available. I approached the club and that was the correct procedure."

Vieira, August 12, 2001: "Yes, it was possible that I would leave in the summer. It is possible for me to leave at the end of next season. In football - like life - anything can happen. It is also possible for me to stay here for the next 10 years. The crucial thing is that no-one will ever get me to do what I don't want to do."

Vieira, October 6, 2001: "Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all chasing me. But I can't deny the Juventus offer is the really interesting one."

Arsenal full-back Lauren, November 9, 2001: "Patrick has asked me continually about Madrid, the club, the Spanish La Liga and Spanish football in general. He has also asked what it is like playing in Spain and about life in general in the country."

Vieira, December 8, 2001: "Arsenal have given me a lot since I joined the club. I hope I have given them the same. I've achieved so much since I joined, I feel I have a responsibility to them. I feel really happy, really comfortable at the club and with the people I work with, the players, the fans. The spirit and atmosphere at the club is really good."

Chairman Peter Hill Wood, January 17, 2002: "From what has been coming out it seems Patrick has met Real Madrid. It is very irritating when you take a lot of time and trouble to sort out lucrative deals with players and then find out it is a waste of your time."

Wenger, January 20, 2002: "If we were offered £50m for Patrick we would not take the money."

Vieira, October 21, 2002: "I have two years left on my contract and the only way I will leave is if the club tell me they don't want me to stay any more."

Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, April 29, 2002: "If a player wants to be difficult, invariably he gets his move, but we don't want that to happen. Patrick is under contract and we expect him to honour that. There will be a conversation with Arsene and Patrick, and I am confident the player will stay with us, but you cannot say 100%."

Vieira October 1, 2002: "Here is a scoop, I am currently negotiating a contract extension with Arsenal. I am in talks to find a compromise and I can't see any reason why I would not stay with Arsenal."