New York City FC has appointed former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira as its new head coach.

The Frenchman leaves his role overseeing Manchester City's Elite Development Squad and signs a three-year contract to succeed Jason Kreis, beginning on January 1.

Vieira, due to meet his players and backroom staff in New York on Tuesday, is thrilled to have secured his first job in charge of a senior professional outfit.

"I am delighted to take up the role of head coach of New York City FC," he told the club website. "To work with this squad, with (sporting director) Claudio Reyna and (goalkeeping coach) Rob Vartughian and the fantastic support team that is in place, is an exciting prospect for any coach," he told the club website.

"This established football setup, together with a passionate and loyal fan base, located in a special city which I know well, makes for an unparalleled opportunity that I am delighted to seize with both hands. I cannot wait to get started."

As a player, Vieira skippered the French national team and was part of the 1998 World Cup- and Euro 2000-winning sides. At club level he played for various teams, including Arsenal, Juventus, and Inter Milan, collecting seven league titles and seven domestic cups.

Vieira ends an association of over five-and-a-half years with Manchester City, which he joined as a player from Internazionale in 2010. He subsequently moved into the role of football development executive in 2011, before becoming manager of the club's reserve side.

The EDS side collected a Premier League International Cup under his wing, and he remains highly regarded at the Etihad Campus; Brian Marwood, management director of City Football Services, describes him as "a special individual and a rare talent."

NYCFC's failure to qualify for the playoffs in its debut MLS campaign spelled the end of Kreis' reign earlier this month, and sporting director Claudio Reyna believes Vieira is the right person to take the franchise forward.

"Patrick was a legendary player and has all the characteristics required to make a fantastic head coach," Reyna said. "His exemplary drive, passion and dedication have always marked him out as a rare talent and all of those qualities, alongside his understanding of the game, make him a natural choice."