Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he is still scared his side could lose fellow Frenchman Thierry Henry.
The international striker is contracted to the English Premier League club until 2007, but Arsenal want him to extend his deal as soon as possible.
Former captain Patrick Vieira left Highbury in the summer and the club is dearly missing him.
Arsenal do not want their current skipper, who says he will talk about a new deal at the end of the season, to follow him.
"Of course we are scared we could lose him," Wenger said on Friday. "But if he signs an extension to his contract tomorrow he could still leave at the end of the season.
"If he says he wants to leave then who can stop him?
"I have no problem in talking to him about his contract in May or June, I'm not negative about it.
"I can understand the worry of the fans, I'm a fan as well. But I can't decide when he signs. We are not in a position where we look to make a profit, we want to keep our players."
Wenger gave Henry his first opportunity in football by handing him his debut at Monaco when he was 17.
HUGE ACHIEVEMENT
The Arsenal manager is proud of what Henry has gone on to achieve, particularly following his club record breaking 186th goal during the week.
"He doesn't owe me anything," Wenger insisted. "He fits into the way we want to play and his assists tell you more about the player he is.
"He has provided goals as well scored them and I can't think of anybody else like that. The record is out of the way now and it is a huge achievement."
Despite his fears, the Arsenal manager will be delighted to hear the latest comments from Henry, who has paid a fitting tribute to his club boss.
The 28-year-old has spoken of his respect for Wenger, and has given the biggest signal yet that he will remain at Arsenal when the club move to the Emirates Stadium next season.
"I've said it before and I'll say it as many times as I need to. Arsene stared my career, and then restarted it," he said.
"He started me at Monaco when I was 17 and there were other guys older than me waiting in the reserves. He took me to another level, the guy is just great.
"When I came to Arsenal I had been playing at a high level on the wing and then I was thinking 'hang on, I have just won the World Cup and I'm well known for playing on the wing. But you are telling me I need to play as a centre forward six months before Euro 2000?'.
"That was a gamble for me but I like challenges."
Wenger's instincts to play Henry as a striker have paid off, but the player himself was not always so confident he would be a success in front of goal.
"I remember having a lot of opportunities and not even hitting the target," Henry recalled.
"I thought I was more likely to break the clock in the Clock End than I was of breaking Wrighty's record but I kept on going...believing and that was a real plus for me."
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