Henry Nears Arsenal Return

MORE than three years after leaving the Gunners, Arsene Wenger has confirmed Thierry Henry will sign a two-month deal to return to Arsenal if insurance agreements can be worked out with New York Red Bulls.

Henry has been training with Arsenal in the MLS off-season and is not required to return to the United States until March.

Wenger revealed it was his idea to bring back the 34-year-old, who scored 226 times in 370 appearances for the club before moving to Barcelona in June 2007.

But he has warned Arsenal fans not to expect the Henry of 10 years ago.

Wenger said: “You can never take away from people what they have done, that will remain forever. Nobody expects him to be what he was 10 years ago, we just want him to help out.

“I think it is just credit to him to be wanting to be helpful to a club that has given him so much. Therefore I feel there is no special pressure to be the player he was before.

“You cannot put too much pressure on him. He is here to help out, not to suddenly be the leader, the main player in the squad, and I respect his desire to help us get through a period where we lose two strikers.

“He and I are conscious that he is 34 years old, but he has not lost his class or his brain. That will be just enough for us.”

Wenger wants Henry, who is available until the MLS season restarts in March, to fill the supporting striker void which will be left when Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho leave for the African Nations Cup next month, although Arsenal are trying to delay their departure by two days to leave them available for the FA Cup tie against Leeds on January 9.

The Gunners boss insists Henry needs two weeks to be fully match fit but in theory he could be available for seven Premier League matches, including key encounters against Manchester United and Tottenham as well as FA Cup ties and Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 encounter against AC Milan.