Thierry Henry will leave Arsenal if the club does not
bring in several world-class players, believes former Gunners
favourite Patrick Vieira.
Henry, 29, the current Arsenal captain, has been linked with a move
to a number of Europe's top clubs.
Vieira, now with Inter Milan, told BBC Radio Five Live: "If Arsenal
bring two or three big names that will show Thierry that they want
to compete.
"If that's not the case Thierry will ask himself what is the best
for him."
Henry said he was "devastated" when Arsenal vice-chairman David
Dein left the club in April because of "irreconcilable differences"
with the rest of the board.
Barcelona suggested they wanted to sign the striker in early June,
while AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti said Henry was one of the
"players that we are interested in".
Arsenal finished last season 21 points behind Premier League
champions Manchester United.
Henry's France team-mate and long-time Gunners colleague Vieira
added: "Thierry wants Arsenal to show that they want to stay at the
top of English and European football."
Vieira, who was speaking in Senegal while visiting his Diambars
football academy with the BBC, also suggested Dein's departure from
the club could have an impact on the future of manager Arsene
Wenger.
Dein recruited Wenger as manager in 1996 - and the new manager
bought Vieira to the club from AC Milan in the same year.
Asked if Wenger will stay, Vieira replied: "I don't know. I think
it will be difficult for him to stay, given what he has done with
David Dein.
"David Dein has been really important in the development of
Arsenal.
"I think in the last 10 years he and Arsene have worked really hard
to put the club where they are now. To see him leave Arsenal, it
was difficult to understand.
"Without David I don't think it will be the same for Arsene because
they started it together. And it would be strange for him to stay -
but you never know."