Ian Wright thinks the Arsenal players aren’t listening to Arsene Wenger anymore. He says there’s a battle going on in the background between the manager and others behind the scenes.

Wright spoke to the BBC after transfer deadline day reached its conclusion. Although the Gunners had a very positive day, bringing in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and reportedly signing Mesut Özil to a new deal, the former Arsenal man says he can sense the unrest below the surface.

“They [the players] seem to be not responding to this manager at the moment,” Wright argued. “I have been very loyal (to Wenger). I know that Arsene Wenger will probably be there for another two years.

“You know that there is things going on in the background with [Sven] Mislintat and [Raul] Sanllehi and [Ivan] Gazidis. You know that there’s a war going on. There has been a lot going on. I would like to see [Stan] Kroenke come over and actually get the people to get together and work for the club.”

Has Arsene Wenger lost control on and off the pitch at #Arsenal?#MOTD pic.twitter.com/yoGkxUTtc1

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) February 1, 2018

On the transfer front, it’s clear that the club are undergoing a lot of changes. I don’t doubt that Wenger still has the final say, but many others are getting involved. We saw that when Ivan Gazidis, Sven Mislintat and Huss Fahmy went to Dortmund to negotiate for Aubameyang.

That shouldn’t have a big impact on the manager’s job when it comes to the players on the pitch though. The transfer window is now closed, and the team won’t change until the end of the season. If Özil did sign a new deal on deadline day, the key components of the side are locked down long-term.

Whilst there may be a battle for control in the transfer market going on, that shouldn’t affect performances. The squad is now as stable as it’s been for what feels like years.

No excuses, Arsenal just need to go and win some matches.