Tottenham’s Moussa Sissoko says Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira was his role model

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Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur will face Unai Emery’s Arsenal in the North London derby today.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko has told The Times that Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira was his role model growing up.

Sissoko, who joined Tottenham from Newcastle United in the summer of 2016 for a transfer fee reported by BBC Sport to be worth £30 million, has also said that he wanted to be like Vieira.

Vieira is one of the greatest midfielders of all time and is an Arsenal legend, having won the Premier League title and the FA Cup three times.

The Nice manager also won the World Cup and the UEFA European Championship with France.

Sissoko himself is a France international, and the Tottenham midfielder has revealed that former Juventus and Manchester City defender was his role model growing up.

“I liked his size, his character, he liked to go up and down and I am a similar type,” Sissoko told The Times about Vieira. “I wanted to be him. He was more than my idol, he was my model.”

North London derby

Sissoko will be determined to maintain his good run of form on Sunday during the North London derby.

Tottenham will take on Arsenal away from home at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League this afternoon.

Sissoko has been playing well for Spurs in recent weeks, and it is very likely that manager Mauricio Pochettino will include the 29-year-old midfielder in the starting lineup.