£16m for Henry is a bit of a bargain if you ask me

[Bruce Rioja]

Also I can't understand why he was devastated at David Dein leaving

That's the bit that I don't get either. He reckons that Dein's departure "has de-stabilised the team and the manager". WTF?

[communistworkethic]

maybe it was his beer mat that was wedged under a leg of the team bench?

[Abdoulaye's Twin]

latest on the BBC today...

Thierry Henry says he is quitting Arsenal to join Spanish giants Barcelona on a four-year deal.

"I still must pass a medical on Monday but yes, I have chosen Barcelona," the 29-year-old striker told French sports daily L'Equipe.

Barcelona had already revealed that they were close to bringing Henry to the Nou Camp in a £16m deal.

Barca vice-president Ferran Soriano told Spanish sports newspaper Marca that talks were at an "advanced" stage.

Soriano added it was "the wish of all parties" for an agreement to be reached for the transfer of Henry.

He also insisted that Barcelona waited for the green light from Arsenal before making a move for the France international, who is the club's all-time record goalscorer.

"We don't want to point a gun at anybody," said Soriano. "We have good relationships with the European clubs."

Henry, who only agreed a lucrative new deal with Arsenal 12 months ago, also confirmed his exit in The Sun newspaper.

In an open letter, he blamed the shock departure of Gunners vice-chairman David Dein and continuing doubts over the future of manager Arsene Wenger as the main reasons for his decision to leave.

"Arsene has been part of my life for as long as I can remember," he wrote.

"Unfortunately and understandably, he has said that at this moment he will not commit to the club past the expiration of his current deal, which finishes at the end of the coming season.

"I respect his decision and his honesty but I will be 31 at the end of next season and I cannot take the chance to be there without Arsene Wenger and David Dein.

"This is solely my decision, no-one has forced me to do anything and I will represent myself in this transaction. I feel it is something I just had to do."

Henry, who has also been linked with European champions AC Milan, has also revealed why he decided to move to the Nou Camp ahead of other possible destinations.

"Barcelona are a wonderful club steeped in tradition and play beautiful football. I'm sure I will be very happy there," he continued.

"But I will miss the Arsenal fans dearly, they have supported me through thick and thin.

"They will always be in my heart, as will all the fans who make the game here so special. I will always have a special bond with Arsenal Football Club."

Henry began his career as a winger with Monaco in 1994 - under the supervision of current Arsenal boss Wenger.

He was in France's 1998 World Cup-winning squad and went on to join Juventus the following season.

But his time in Turin was a largely unsuccessful one and the player was soon heading to north London, with Wenger keen to get the best out of the prodigious talent.

The France international has since blossomed into one of the greatest talents in world football.

He helped Arsenal to two league titles and three FA Cups and led the Gunners to the finals of the 2000 Uefa Cup and 2006 Champions League.

In February 2006, he became the first Arsenal player to score over 200 goals for the club, with a strike against Birmingham, and has bagged a club record 226 goals in 364 appearances for the Gunners.

His consistency in front of goal ensured he finished as the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions.

He has won the Professional Footballers' Association player of the year title on two occasions and the football writers' player of the year three times. He has also twice finished runner-up in the Fifa world player of the year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 231950.stm

looking quite likely...

[hisroyalgingerness]

big loss, not just for Arsenal but the league. We've lost one of the world's top players to La Liga

on the other side..... Arsenal are defo in the shit

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

I can't understand why he was devastated at David Dein leaving

The two are very close. Indeed, one of Dein's sons is Henry's "solicitor", heavily involved in the reading of any potential new contracts. This is OBVIOUSLY different to being his agent, because you couldn't really have the vice-chairman's son representing the star striker, could you? Why, that would be far too nepotistic.

Dein has carved out an extraordinary niche for himself considering he was once named in the Guinness Book of Records for notching up the UK's biggest ever bankruptcy.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

big loss, not just for Arsenal but the league. We've lost one of the world's top players to La Liga

on the other side..... Arsenal are defo in the shit

Wenger (also very close to kingmaker Dein, the man who hired him) now being linked with a move to Spain. Star player gone; manager considering it; massive stadium debt. Worst-case scenario (for them), yon American bloke might see them crawling back on their knees for help.

[keveh]

Once again, the difference between the Henry, Hargreaves and Carrick deals is wages

Assuming Carrick and the Bowtoner are on 60k per week (is it more, I dunno) for sake of making a mark, I'd expect Henry to be costing 4 million a year more that

So, its not as simple as some folk suggest

True, but if you are arsenal you are only going to get the transfer money.

You're only getting the same amount of money for your best player, one of the best in the world, for what Charlton would recieve for Darren Bent.

[CAPSLOCK]

Hmm, but the point was being made comparing the purchases of Henry, Hargreaves and Carrick

And, remember, if you're Arsenal, you've also got a 17+ million commitment off your wage bill

Handy, when you're skint

[keveh]

Hmm, but the point was being made comparing the purchases of Henry, Hargreaves and Carrick

And, remember, if you're Arsenal, you've also got a 17+ million commitment off your wage bill

Handy, when you're skint

Does anybody know how much he was put on last year? Wasn't it above £100k?

To be honest I think that £16 Henry is a good price, it's just the market has gone tits up and Darren Bent for £16mill is more than double what he's worth

[warthog]

Hmm, but the point was being made comparing the purchases of Henry, Hargreaves and Carrick

And, remember, if you're Arsenal, you've also got a 17+ million commitment off your wage bill

Handy, when you're skint

Does anybody know how much he was put on last year? Wasn't it above £100k?

To be honest I think that £16 Henry is a good price, it's just the market has gone tits up and Darren Bent for £16mill is more than double what he's worth

It was reported as £130,000

[CrazyHorse]

And, remember, if you're Arsenal, you've also got a 17+ million commitment off your wage bill

Handy, when you're skint

Nail on the head.

[Verbal]

It had to happen at one stage, now we shall see if the kids of le arsenal can step up to the plate.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

And, remember, if you're Arsenal, you've also got a 17+ million commitment off your wage bill

Handy, when you're skint

Nail on the head.

Report in today's Telegraph says they're paying 70% of their turnover as wages. Lots also saying Wenger's future depends on "Henry's replacement", so ignore what I posted earlier. Every post. Ever.

[Batman]

who said that?

[Village Idiot]

Well we'll take him if you are not sure


Arsenal for relegation?

Well the last striker from the EPL that I thought was washed up probably has given Real Madrid the title. Shows how good I'm at this.

And I don't think Henry was effectual enough this year to matter much in Arsenal's fortunes. However, it could be a big morale hit.

[CrazyHorse]

Did you see the gushy, tear in the eye speech Henry gave to the Arsenal fans on Sky Sports News?

The way he was going on, it was like someone had just died!

[Mar]

Maybe Arsenal didn't play Henry last season because they knew that they were going to try and sell him. After all the last thing they would want is something affecting their £16m sale of the striker.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Maybe Arsenal didn't play Henry last season because they knew that they were going to try and sell him. After all the last thing they would want is something affecting their £16m sale of the striker.

Maybe. But more likely IMO that he was a physical wreck after playing straight through summer. Very finely-tuned athlete, that lad, and though he conducts himself with the utmost professionalism off-pitch he still needs more rest than Venga was willing to afford him.

[officer_dibble]

If Van Persie can get off that injury table and show his potential it may well be a decent deal for Arsenal. Henry was a fukin fanny last season anyway, spent about 6 weeks out with a broken toenail didnt he? His heart wasn't in, and at 130k a week you can't have players whose hearts aren't in it. They will just replace him with some shit hot kid and Henry will go and retire in la liga. Works out well for both I think.

[Batman]

wearing his school uniform here