Danny Fiszman, a London-based diamond dealer, has tightened his grip on Arsenal after buying almost £7 million worth of shares from the deputy chairman David Dein.

The deal increases Fiszman's shareholding in Arsenal to 33 per cent and will fuel speculation about the future ownership of the north London club.

Fiszman was brought on to the club's board by Dein in January 1992, and is growing in influence. Dein, although only deputy behind the chairman Peter HillWood, has been the driving force behind the club in recent seasons, but his shareholding is now less than seven per cent.

Fiszman, 55, is described by sources close to the club as "extremely quiet and extremely pleasant" but little else is known about him.

However, his financial power could be the biggest weapon in Arsenal's armoury in their battle with the financial powerhouses of Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle.

Meanwhile Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger risked another spat with Alex Ferguson by saying yesterday that David Beckham deserved his red card in the Word Club Championship in Rio de Janeiro. "I believe the referee made the right decision and that Beckham deserved to be sent off. At first he went for the ball but then made an extra lunge which caught the other player," Wenger said.

"For me Beckham is a great player but he has problems handling the pressure that is always on a big-name player, especially one whose private life is so exposed in the media as his," Wenger added.

He also said he still thought United should not have deserted the FA Cup to take part in the Brazilian event.