Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira believes the London club must splash out on some big name players if they want to prevent Thierry Henry from being lured to a major club in Europe.
Henry has been consistently linked with a move to Barcelona, and despite insisting he wants to remain at the Emirates Stadium, Vieira believes the Gunners must demonstrate their ability to compete if they want the 29-year-old to stay.
Vieira told BBC Five Live: ”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 left Arsenal for Juventus in 2005 before moving on to Inter Milan, with whom he won last year’s Italian Serie A title.
The France international believes that manager Arsene Wenger could also be set for a departure from the Gunners following the shock exit of vice-chairperson David Dein.
Dein made a sudden departure in April because of ”irreconcilable differences” with the rest of the Gunners board, meaning Wenger lost his closest ally at the club.
Vieira believes this could herald Wenger’s departure, saying: ”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.”
Wenger last week refused to commit his long-term future to the club, which has failed to win silverware since winning the FA Cup in 2005.
”I’ve a contract for one more year here and I’ll complete that contract,” Wenger told the News of the World.
”I’ve never broken a contract in my entire career and next summer I will sit down with the board and see.” — Sapa-AFP