Marcel Desailly has said that Arsenal target Yann M'Vila could become a better midfielder than Patrick Vieira.

The French star has been linked with a summer switch to the Emirates Stadium.

Desailly said that the 21-year-old has the talent to succeed in the Premier League.

"I would just say that if I was the chairman of a Premier League club I would just close my eyes and put the figure on the cheque to get him," Desailly told Goal.com. "Because he is really the future. The talent is there. It is obvious."

However, the former France international has delivered a word of warning to the Rennes midfielder.

"He is doing too much on the field," added Desailly. "He is defending and trying also to create and make the difference up the field. He has to reduce his commitment up the field.

"He is a defensive midfielder. If you defend very well anything extra you do is fine. First of all, stick on one thing – defending very well and passing very quickly to the offensive players. Once he will have understood that you will see he is the best midfielder – better even than Patrick Vieira."

M'Vila has 18 caps for France.