Dein Gone, Wenger Next?

28 Apr 2008 | tshego

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Arsenal chairman Peter Hill Wood has moved to head off speculation over the
future of Arsene Wenger following the shock resignation of club powerbroker
David Dein.

Hill-Wood told Arsenal TV Online: “The relationship that Arsene has
with the board is good. He is on contract until 2008 and we hope he will extend
beyond that.”He then added: “It’s well known that Arsene and David have got on
very well over the past 10 years and I am certain that Arsene will miss
him.”Dein left over what the club described as ‘irreconcilable differences’
between him and the rest of the board.

At the centre of the row was Dein’s
courting of the American billionaire Stan Kroenke, who has ambitions of taking
over a Premiership club. Kroenke has built up an 11 per cent stake in Arsenal
from buying up shares formerly owned by ITV and club director Danny
Fiszman.

Dein’s share in Arsenal is currently 14.5 per cent, which would reap
£67.69million at the yesterday’s share price. His first invested in Arsenal
in 1983 for £300,000.

Dein will forego his membership of the FA Council, the
FA international committee, various UEFA groups and the chairmanship of G14.