Football
ESPN staff 9y

Arsene Wenger wants Thierry Henry return at Arsenal, unsure on role

Arsene Wenger is keen for Thierry Henry to return to Arsenal but is not sure in what role that will be.

On Monday, Henry announced he will not return to the New York Red Bulls in 2015 after more than four seasons with Major League Soccer.

The 37-year-old made 254 Premier League appearances and scored 174 goals during his first stint with Arsenal that lasted eight years.

He returned to the Gunners on a short-term loan in January 2012, making seven appearances in all competitions and netting twice.

Henry's decision to leave the New York Red Bulls has led to suggestions he could make a second comeback for Arsenal, but Wenger feels the Frenchman has yet to make up his mind on his future.

"Thierry Henry has come out... and what I understand is that he wants to reflect for a while on how he wants to go into his next life," he told a news conference.

"The only thing I would like to say is that I made him start at the age of 17 in Monaco, he is today 37 so he had 20 years of competitive football and that deserves high respect and congratulations. Not only on what he achieved but also on his attitude and his exemplarity and his focus on football. He has the right to reflect and think of what he wants to do now.

"He is an Arsenal man. It was the best moment certainly of his life and of his career has been experienced here.

"Certainly one day he will come back here. In what role I don't know, that is what he has to think about: what direction he wants to give to his next life."

Last week, Henry told L'Equipe he would love to help Arsenal win the Champions League when he does finally hang up his boots.

"Whether I see that from afar or up close is not up to me, but it's sure that I would like to help, because it's my club and as a player I wasn't able to bring them the Champions League," he said at the time, before his exit was announced.

^ Back to Top ^