Vieira: 'Gunners must show Henry intent'

Patrick Vieira believes Arsenal have to show Thierry Henry they intend to make an assault on the Premier League and Champions League titles next season if they want to keep hold of their captain.

Henry has been linked with a possible summer move away from the Gunners to Spanish giants Barcelona, despite only signing a long-term deal last summer.

And Vieira, who left the north Londoners for Juventus in 2005 before moving to Inter Milan last year, said: "Thierry wants Arsenal to show they want to stay at the top of English football and European football.

"If they bring in two or three big names it will show they want to compete against the best.

"If that is not the case Thierry will have to ask himself what is the best for him and in the end decide what is best. Of course all of Arsenal will hope he will stay at Arsenal but the basic decision he will make himself."

Vieira has also claimed that manager Arsene Wenger, who has one year remaining on his present contract, could quit Arsenal following the shock exit of his closest ally, vice-chairman David Dein.

The former Gunners skipper said: "I think it would be difficult to stay with what he had done with David Dein.

"Without David Dein I don't think it would be the same for him. (Because) they started together and it will be strange for him to stay but you never know."

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

Post to Fark Post to del.icio.us Digg this story Post to reddit Post to Facebook Post to StumbleUpon Seed Newsvine Post to GNN Post to MySpace