Harry Redknapp has revealed that he almost signed former Arsenal star Patrick Vieira while he was manager of the Gunners' North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Redknapp, who is now manager of Queens Park Rangers, has revealed that he met at the midfielder's house to discuss a potential move from Inter Milan to White Hart Lane.

Redknapp revealed the news in his new book A Man Walks On To a Pitch, which is being serialised by the Daily Mail.

"I met him at his house in Hampstead and he had no fear about what people would think or what reception he would get. He had enough confidence in his ability to just brush it away," the newspaper quotes Redknapp as saying.

"I remember talking to Daniel Levy, our chairman, about him. He said the crowd would be hostile. I knew that, but if he had enough bottle to want to put on our white shirt after all that had gone before, I thought it said something about the man."

Despite initial talks, Vieira opted to remain in Italy before returning to England to play for Manchester City for a year in 2010.