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Nigel Winterburn has warned the rest of the Premier League not to write Arsenal off.

The former Gunners defender believes that even with Thierry Henry gone, Arsene Wenger's side can mount a challenge to champions Manchester United next season.

United have brough in the likes of Anderson, Nani and Owen Hargreaves this summer, Chelsea have landed Steve Sidwell, Florent Maluda, Claudio Pizarro and Tal Ben Haim and Liverpool have bolstered their strike force with the capture of Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel.

So far Wenger has only signed defender Bakari Sagna and striker Eduardo da Silva, but Winterburn believes that providing they can right last season's wrongs, Arsenal can pose a serious threat this time around.

"I think the pressure's off Arsenal because a lot of people have written them off," he told Sky Sports News.

"But if you look at last season, Thierry Henry didn't play a lot for them anyway.

"They need consistency in defence - and by that I mean at set-pieces, because they conceded a lot of goals from set plays last season.

"They also created and wasted so many chances last season, but if they put those things two right I think Arsenal will be a lot closer than a lot of people think."

Off the field, American billionaire Stan Kroenke and Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone have both been linked with a takeover at The Emirates.

And Winterburn, who who spent 13 years at the club, welcomed any new investment, providing the moneymen do not break with tradition.

"If someone's going to come in to work - and bring money into the club - with the present owners or if they are looking to buy them out, you just hope they've got the club's best interests at heart," he said.

"If they've got that, it doesn't really matter whether they're foreign or English."