Arsenal legend Ian Wright
insists that David Dein's shock exit from the club has seriously
unsettled some of the club's players.
Dein was known to be Arsene Wenger's biggest ally on the Gunners'
board - as he was the man who was behind the Frenchman's arrival in
North London in 1996.
However, Dein has now departed the club's board after a massive
fall-out with the other directors - who disagreed with the possible
buy-out of American businessman Stan Kroenke, something he was in
favour of.
Wright now claims that many of the squad - including captain
Thierry Henry, are far from happy that Dein has left.
"I know the players aren't happy, I know Thierry's not happy," said
Wright on his new TalkSport show.
"We're talking about a man (Dein) who goes into the dressing room
after every single game, shakes every player by the hand and who
knows all the youth team players.
"I know this for a fact that the manager and the players are 100
per cent behind David Dein and I can see real repercussions coming
off the back of this.
"David worked hard to keep Arsene at the club when the other clubs
were sniffing around.
"Now the AC Milans of this world and Juventuses, all of them, now
that they have seen this happen they will know that this is a time
when they can come and sniff around Arsenal. It's a worrying
time.
"I can totally sympathise with all Arsenal fans because in David
Dein, Arsene had a great ally.
"David was so pro-active in relation to everything to do with the
club and I cannot envisage Arsenal going into any new era without
David Dein involved. It cannot be good for the club.
"Whatever differences there may have been with the board if it can
end with David Dein leaving the club then it is the wrong
move.
"I know for a fact that with the new stadium, with the young
players, with Wenger and what he is doing down there, the feeling
has been that there are exciting times ahead.
"If somebody is coming in and investing X amount of millions this
is not the time for David Dein to be leaving."