ARSENE WENGER SAYS it is ‘an honour and a pleasure’ to have Arsenal’s legendary striker Thierry Henry back training at the club, but says he has not considered taking his former captain on loan.
The 34-year-old is keeping up his fitness levels at London Colney after the New York Red Bulls were dumped out of the MLS Cup by LA Galaxy.
While he could ‘do a David Beckham’ and pen a short term deal with the Gunners for January and February – before returning to the United States – Wenger says such an arrangement is not on his agenda.
“I have not thought about that at all. At the moment we have a big squad and anyway, that problem cannot examined before the end of December,” the Arsenal manager told the press ahead of Saturday’s clash with Norwich.
“At the moment we have 26 outfield players so we have a massive squad.
“Thierry’s future is in the [United] States. He is going back in February. Until then we will just help him to practice and keep fit.”
Wenger hopes that having Henry back in London will have a positive effect on the rest of his resurgent squad. Arsenal are currently only behind fifth-placed Liverpool on goal difference following five successive Premier League wins.
“Thierry loves football, and he loves Arsenal,” Wenger added.
“To practice with us for him is a pleasure – for him and for us.
“I think it is an honour and a pleasure. An honour because he is a legend at the club and he is coming back, a pleasure because when he is on the football pitch, he is still a great player.”
