LONDON: Thierry Henry, Arsenal’s all-time leading scorer, will return to New York Red Bulls next week as his loan spell cannot be extended past the agreed date, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday.
Henry, 34, who originally played for Arsenal from 1999 until 2007, scoring a record 226 goals, re-joined the club on Jan. 6 but will go back his Major League Soccer club next Thursday, the day after Arsenal play AC Milan in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16.
“I would have loved him to stay for two more weeks but he has to go back,” Wenger told reporters. “He is captain of the Red Bulls, so just to appear on the first day of the season would be unfair to them.”
Red Bulls start their new season on March 11 and Wenger said the French striker had to return in time for their pre-season training.
“We accepted at the start that we would release him on February 16 so we respect our word. He thinks as well that it would be too late (if he stayed two weeks).”
Wenger said he was delighted with the impact the club’s former skipper had made during his time back with Arsenal, both on and off the pitch.
Henry has scored twice in five games during his loan, taking his all-time tally to 228 goals, meaning the inscription on his recently unveiled statue outside the Emirates Stadium will have to be updated. (Reuters)
