Vieira takes over as manager of Chelsea-owned Strasbourg

According to the latest reports, Chelsea-owned Ligue 1 team Strasbourg is in the process of hiring Arsenal veteran Patrick Vieira to lead the club. After a 12-game losing streak, Crystal Palace fired Vieira in March. He has been unemployed ever since.

After weeks of speculation to take over at several clubs or national teams, the 47-year-old’s name has fallen out of the headlines. The former midfielder seems to be taking his next job in his home country of France.

As per The Athletic, Vieira is set to assume the managerial role at Strasbourg, a club that has recently been acquired by BlueCo, the parent company of Chelsea. This strategic move aligns with Todd Boehly’s vision of establishing a multi-club empire, akin to the Manchester City group.

Patrick Vieira brings previous experience in Ligue 1 to Strasbourg

After retiring in 2011, Vieira dedicated four years to coaching in Manchester City’s youth set-up. Subsequently, he transitioned to New York City FC, a satellite club of the City Football Group, where he served as the head coach for two years in the MLS.

Following his stint in the United States, he moved to Nice. There, Vieira led the club to secure a spot in the Europa League qualification phase. However, his tenure in Nice came to an end abruptly. Club brass dismissed Vieira in December 2020 after just over two years with Nice.

After his time with Crystal Palace, Vieira was one of the names on the rumor mill for the USMNT job. However, US Soccer opted for Gregg Berhalter instead of the Frenchman.

Strasbourg fans fear becoming ‘feeder club’

The Blues’ owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are seeking to establish a multi-club strategy. It can resemble the successful notions of City Football Group and the Red Bull clubs. The owners reached an agreement last week to purchase the Ligue 1 team.

For fear of becoming a feeder club, Strasbourg supporters were quick to criticize the takeover. They referenced Boehly’s comments about creating “pathways for our young superstars to get on to the Chelsea pitch.”

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