Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has revealed that he would relish the chance to come back to his beloved North London club once he ends his spell with MLS outfit New York Red Bulls.
The love affair between Henry and Arsenal dates back to 1999, when manager Arsene Wenger brought the unknown French youngster to Highbury from Juventus. The British media severely scrutinized the transfer and kept a close eye on the young French attacker. The huge amount of expectations dumped on the shoulders of Thierry Henry got the better of him, as he made a slow start to his Arsenal career, failing to score in his first few games.
Once he got his first goal for the Gunners, there was no looking back. He just kept getting better, season after season. Henry kept scoring and trophies started flowing in one after the other, and he went on to become one of the finest strikers in the world. The most cherished trophy was the golden Barclays Premier League trophy of the 2003-04 season, when the Gunners romped through the entire league season without a single defeat, earning them the tag of ‘The Invincibles’. Henry was instrumental that season, as he along with his partner-in-crime Dennis Bergkamp tormented defenses at will, and formed a fearsome partnership in front of goal.
After 8 glory laden years, Henry said goodbye to Arsenal and joined Barcelona in 2007 where he enjoyed European success, the one thing which had eluded the Frenchman during his time at Arsenal. As he entered the late stages of his career at 32, he then opted for the less demanding Major League Soccer in the United States when he joined New York Red Bulls in 2010.
Henry did return to Arsenal for a short stint in early 2012 on a two-month loan deal. He scored on his second debut for the club against Leeds United in the FA Cup. His classy finish rolled back the years to when he was at his peak, taking on defenses single-handedly.
Currently at 35 years of age, Henry could possibly see the end of his playing days soon. On asked about his plans after he hangs up his boots, Henry revealed, “All I know is that I will be involved in the game for sure and hopefully be involved with Arsenal because that is the heart talking there, that’s the team that I support. Forget about me as a player, that’s the team I support.”
“In any type or shape, if I can go back to the club I would love to do it, but it’s not up to me. That would be a desire, more a desire than something that can be officialised, I still have two years playing here and then I will see.
“But I would definitely love to be back with Arsenal.”
With Henry hoping for another reunion, will we hopefully see him at the Emirates Stadium in the future?