adminSpeaking at his weekly pre-match press conference yesterday, the Gunners boss said that the much-rumoured deal “will certainly happen” and that the club are now just waiting on the paperwork to be completed.
“He knows the club, can help the players and I know one thing: it can only be positive,” continued Wenger.
“He needs two good weeks’ work. He is here to help – not suddenly be main player.”
Henry has told Wenger he wants to accept Arsenal’s contract offer and play for them again. Henry is on a special training programme to fast-track him back into the Arsenal first team.
The Gunners legend (34) has been allocated the No.12 shirt – the shirt he wore for France – and is targeting a return for the Leeds FA Cup tie on January 9.
Henry will not be required back in the United States until March and Wenger will lose Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh for up to a month at the end of January due to the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving him short of strikers.
“For two months it certainly will happen. I don’t take care of the agreement and the insurance and that is not completed,” Wenger said.
“At the moment we cannot announce anything because all the paperwork is not done.
“To cover for two months is ideal. He has the experience and the quality. He knows the club and can help the players on and off the pitch.
“He has exceptional talent and is a very intelligent man, it can only be positive.”
Henry could feature in seven Premier League games, including key encounters against Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as FA Cup ties and the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 clash against AC Milan. If agreement is reached with Red Bulls he could start his second Arsenal spell in the FA Cup third-round tie against Leeds on January 9 after impressing Wenger with his sharpness during training. Henry, meanwhile, has clearly felt at home back in London and was moved to tears when a statue of him was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium this month, along with those of fellow Gunners legends Tony Adams and Herbert Chapman.
Wenger added: “He is very happy and very modest about it. It was my idea and he was happy with the idea.”
Henry, the club’s record all-time scorer with 226 goals in 370 appearances, left Arsenal in 2007 for Barcelona before moving to the United States where he currently plays for the New York Bulls. He is regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on an Arsenal shirt, winning two league titles and three FA Cups during his hugely successful eight-year spell at the club.
Henry agreed a sensational short term loan of around six weeks, but it must still be signed off by his club, New York Red Bulls, and Arsenal must reach a deal to cover the insurance costs.
World Cup winner Henry, Arsenal’s record goalscorer, trained with the first team squad on Thursday and was in for extra work on Wednesday when the rest of the players had a day off. He will also do extra work on his fitness as he was on holiday in Mexico over Christmas and is still short of being ready for first team matches. But he was easily persuaded to return to cover for Robin van Persie even though he will not be a first choice.
The finer details of the deal were hammered out on Thursday and Arsenal will pay Henry’s £70 000-a-week wages during the loan. Arsenal can register the loan – if they get the green light from the Red Bulls – when the window reopens on January 1.
But it appears their trip to Fulham on January 2 will come too soon and the Leeds cup tie will be an ideal welcome back. Arsenal are still in the market for more players, while Bacary Sagna has stepped up his running work and Jack Wilshere is due to start running outside next week.
The Henry deal is likely to be popular but Arsenal are still looking at Cologne striker Lukas Podolski and want cover at left-back for injured Andre Santos and Kieran Gibbs.
Manchester City’s Wayne Bridge could be a loan option. – AFP.LONDON – Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Thierry Henry will return to English Premiership soccer side Arsenal on a short-term loan deal from the New York Red Bulls.
Speaking at his weekly pre-match press conference yesterday, the Gunners boss said that the much-rumoured deal “will certainly happen” and that the club are now just waiting on the paperwork to be completed.
“He knows the club, can help the players and I know one thing: it can only be positive,” continued Wenger.
“He needs two good weeks’ work. He is here to help – not suddenly be main player.”
Henry has told Wenger he wants to accept Arsenal’s contract offer and play for them again. Henry is on a special training programme to fast-track him back into the Arsenal first team.
The Gunners legend (34) has been allocated the No.12 shirt – the shirt he wore for France – and is targeting a return for the Leeds FA Cup tie on January 9.
Henry will not be required back in the United States until March and Wenger will lose Gervinho and Marouane Chamakh for up to a month at the end of January due to the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving him short of strikers.
“For two months it certainly will happen. I don’t take care of the agreement and the insurance and that is not completed,” Wenger said.
“At the moment we cannot announce anything because all the paperwork is not done.
“To cover for two months is ideal. He has the experience and the quality. He knows the club and can help the players on and off the pitch.
“He has exceptional talent and is a very intelligent man, it can only be positive.”
Henry could feature in seven Premier League games, including key encounters against Manchester United and Tottenham, as well as FA Cup ties and the first leg of Arsenal’s Champions League
last-16 clash against AC Milan. If agreement is reached with Red Bulls he could start his second Arsenal spell in the FA Cup third-round tie against Leeds on January 9 after impressing Wenger with his sharpness during training. Henry, meanwhile, has clearly felt at home back in London and was moved to tears when a statue of him was unveiled at the Emirates Stadium this month, along with those of fellow Gunners legends Tony Adams and Herbert Chapman.
Wenger added: “He is very happy and very modest about it. It was my idea and he was happy with the idea.”
Henry, the club’s record all-time scorer with 226 goals in 370 appearances, left Arsenal in 2007 for Barcelona before moving to the United States where he currently plays for the New York Bulls. He is
regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on an Arsenal shirt, winning two league titles and three FA Cups during his hugely successful eight-year spell at the club.
Henry agreed a sensational short term loan of around six weeks, but it must still be signed off by his club, New York Red Bulls, and Arsenal must reach a deal to cover the insurance costs.
World Cup winner Henry, Arsenal’s record goalscorer, trained with the first team squad on Thursday and was in for extra work on Wednesday when the rest of the players had a day off. He will also do extra work on his fitness as he was on holiday in Mexico over Christmas and is still short of being ready for first team matches. But he was easily persuaded to return to cover for Robin van Persie even though he will not be a first choice.
The finer details of the deal were hammered out on Thursday and Arsenal will pay Henry’s £70 000-a-week wages during the loan. Arsenal can register the loan – if they get the green light from the Red Bulls – when the window reopens on January 1.
But it appears their trip to Fulham on January 2 will come too soon and the Leeds cup tie will be an ideal welcome back. Arsenal are still in the market for more players, while Bacary Sagna has stepped up his running work and Jack Wilshere is due to start running outside next week.
The Henry deal is likely to be popular but Arsenal are still looking at Cologne striker Lukas Podolski and want cover at left-back for injured Andre Santos and Kieran Gibbs.
Manchester City’s Wayne Bridge could be a loan option. – AFP.
Online Reporter