Henry says au revoir
ARSENAL striker Thierry Henry has told team-mates he is leaving The Emirates this summer.
Henry is furious that vice-chairman David Dein, father of his representative Darren Dein, has left the club and it now seems the Frenchman has decided his own future lies elsewhere.
The Gunners captain met manager Arsene Wenger for showdown talks 10 days ago. He wanted to know who was in line to replace Dein in a director of football role and how long Wenger plans to stay in London.
Henry cannot have got the assurances he was after, however, as he has since told colleagues: “I’m off”.
The news will put Barcelona president Joan Laporta on red alert. Earlier this month, Laporta claimed to have agreed a £15million deal to sign Henry by letting slip in a speech at Stanford University: “I’m closing the signing of Henry.”
Arsenal had been planning for life with Henry after ordering him to return to training two weeks early in order to get fully fit for next term after an injury-plagued season in which he played 27 matches and scored 12 goals.
But his declaration that he is planning to leave could force Wenger to accept a bid of about £20m for the 29-year-old, who is also a long-term target for Real Madrid. Wenger considered his own future after his close friend Dein left the club and could go at the end of next season when his current contract runs out.
His recent demeanour has been described by club insiders as “extremely downbeat” and he is said to be frustrated at having to renegotiate player contracts and meet agents.
