WILLIAM Gallas' Arsenal career may well be over.

The French defender's future has been thrown into doubt after he has been stripped of the Gunners' captaincy.

He was also dropped for last night's trip to Manchester City, and fined two weeks' wages - ??pounds;180,000 ($486,000).

Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, 31, was appointed captain last night.

In an astonishing public attack on his team-mates, the 31-year-old Gallas had revealed rifts in the Gunners dressing room, a blazing row during the interval of the 4-4 draw with rivals Tottenham and a problem with an unnamed team-mate unsettling Arsene Wenger's squad.

Various reports in England said the vocal Frenchman has been dropped from the Arsenal first-team indefinitely.

Former Arsenal full-back Nigel Winterburn believes changing the captaincy would place Gallas' future in doubt.

'If Wenger takes the captaincy away he's almost saying he doesn't trust Gallas as a player and then maybe he shouldn't be playing within the team,' said Winterburn.

'It shows how disappointed Wenger is. He must be seriously hurt to take the captaincy away. Gallas does not travel, it could be the end of him at Arsenal.'

In an earlier interview, Gallas suggested he is open to an eventual return to France for the final stages of his career, which adds fuel to questions of his long-term commitment to Arsenal.

He said: 'It's true that I'd like to return to France for one or perhaps two seasons to finish my career.'

Wenger himself has an alternative for the role of the skipper, insisting the game is too fast for one person to take sole responsibility on the field.

'It's so quick everywhere, there is less time for one person to lead the team,' said Wenger. 'You need more shared leadership on the pitch.'

Wire Services.