FORMER Ipswich star Richard Wright is relishing the prospect of his European debut tonight at Highbury, knowing that another clean sheet for Arsenal will take him closer to his dream of replacing England veteran David Seaman for both club and country.

FORMER Ipswich star Richard Wright is relishing the prospect of his European debut tonight at Highbury, knowing that another clean sheet for Arsenal will take him closer to his dream of replacing England veteran David Seaman for both club and country.

With Seaman still nursing a sore shoulder, £5 million former Blues goalkeeper Wright makes his Champions League bow against Panathinaikos.

And the 23-year-old admits: "I'm after David's job – but, of course, he knows that."

Wright has already been capped twice by England but was warned when he moved to Highbury in the summer that he could harm his international ambitions if forced to sit too long on the substitutes' bench.

But he insisted: "The chance to play in big games like this was the reason I came to Arsenal.

"David Seaman is a superb keeper and still England's number one and I knew the risks involved in just coming here as his deputy.

"But I've been given the opportunity now because of his injury and I've kept two clean sheets in away games at Derby and Southampton. Hopefully I can keep doing well and give the manager a bit of a selection problem.

"David knows what my intentions are. He knows I'm here to try and take his place, but to be honest he's been very helpful to me.

"But he knows I'll never be happy just to fill in for him on a long-term basis.

"I owe it to myself to get noticed on a week-in-week-out basis, and if I show I can do it in the Champions League it could set me up internationally as well.

"If I keep producing the performances I might stay in. People suggest David will come straight back into the side once he's fully fit again but we'll wait and see. He knows I want to give him a challenge."