$38m Henry set for Barca

[Twizzle]

$38m Henry set for Barca

From correspondents in Madrid
June 23, 2007

ARSENAL has agreed to sell France international striker Thierry Henry to Barcelona for 24 million euros ($38 million), a Barcelona spokesman said today (AEST), but denied media reports a four-year deal is sealed.


"It's still not been confirmed," said the spokesman, adding discussions had been going on in London between Barca's financial affairs vice-chairman, Ferran Soriano, and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
Earlier, Spain's usually well-informed Cadena Ser radio quoted club sources as saying the deal had been finalised, and Barcelona-based sports journal El Mundo Deportiv also said it was closed and that Henry would arrive in the Catalan metropolis tomorrow for presentation next week.
He is reportedly to undergo a medical on Monday.
Barca, pipped at the post for the league title by Real Madrid, had been chasing the 29-year-old World Cup winner for more than a year, and now expect to line him up alongside Cameroon hotshot Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho, in a forward line which also includes Argentina starlet Leo Messi.
Henry has spent eight seasons at Arsenal but has grown frustrated at the club's lack of European success.
He was a member of the side which lost to Barca in the 2006 Champions League final.
Arsenal had been hoping for a transfer fee in the region of 35 million euros ($55 million) but, with Henry 30 this (northern) summer, Barca appears to have been able to knock it down.
British media earlier this week quoted Eto'o as saying his close friend would soon join him at the Nou Camp.
"He is a great mate of mine and we will play all together," Eto'o was quoted as saying.
Henry started off his career as a precocious winger with Monaco under Wenger's tutelage in 1994, a year before the latter headed off to Grampus Eight in Japan.
After playing a cameo role in France's World Cup win on home soil in 1998, Henry joined Juventus in 1998 but played barely half-a-season there before heading back to the Riviera for a brief spell.
Then Arsenal came calling with Wenger at the helm in 1999 and, after he turned his protege into a centre-forward, Henry blossomed into one of the greatest players in the world, scoring more than a goal every other game in some 250 league matches over eight seasons.
He also won the 2000 European Championship with France.
Barca, keen to reassert its dominance over Real Madrid next season, is also looking at AS Roma's Romania defender, Cristian Chivu, with club secretary Txiki Begiristain in Rome with a 13 million euro ($21 million) offer and the added carrot of Brazil defender and former Arsenal man Sylvinho as a deal makeweight.
Catalan media said Begiristain had met Roma's technical director Danielle Prade and unveiled his offer.
Agence France-Presse



http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21953914-23215,00.html

 

[Phillips]

no loss

he will be replaced with some unknown 12 yr old african

 

[NK Arsenal]

Reports going all over the world now, hope it is not true (but it will be).

 

[fat_mike]

no loss

he will be replaced with some unknown 12 yr old african

LMFAO, no loss. thats some big ass denial there champ.

just think back to the end of the season when you couldnt put the ball in the back of the net, thats going to become a regular occurance. i have little faith with the rubbish my liverpool side has up front and i was an arsenal fan i'd be very freaking worried to be letting henry go. you lot better hope you can snare trezeguet away from juve.

 

[CC_Eagle]

Rubbish.

This tripe always shows it's ugly head around either end of the transfer season.

Henry has quoted many,many times that whilst under contract with Arsenal, he will be with Arsenal.

I can't see the club letting him go. The world saw how much we sucked without him this year.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

enjoy uefa champions league arsenal, it will be your last, LOVING IT MWAHAHAHAHA

NO LOSS? ?? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ? BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, without henry last year arsenal couldnt win a raffle if they bought all the tickets

and with the money that's been quoted, arsenal will have to sell, if they dont, they risk losing him for free, barca did the same with rivaldo

 

[Phillips]

cant people spot sarcasm anymore :sarcasm:

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Rubbish.

This tripe always shows it's ugly head around either end of the transfer season.

Henry has quoted many,many times that whilst under contract with Arsenal, he will be with Arsenal.

I can't see the club letting him go. The world saw how much we sucked without him this year.

You are deluded champ, he's GONE.

Will be interesting to see what he does in La Liga. Eto'o won't be staying.

 

[Kiwishark]

Getting the razor blades now....

With that money, we will buy someone else, surely. He won't be an Henry, but will be high profile I expect.

 

[Phillips]

Eto'o is the only player in the world capable of replacing Henry...

 

[Kiwishark]

We can't replace him. I wouldn't want Eto'o cos I don't think he's much of a team player, attitude off the field etc, despite his skill. I'd like us to make a big play for Villa or Torres now.

 

[MrSharky]

And so the King of Highbury has made his way over to the Camp Loo. This is undoubtedly a major loss for Arsenal. It'll be interesting to see what happens over at the Emirates over the pre-season. From the looks of things it doesn't look to good.

Also, expect the Wenger + Fabregas to Madrid talks to reignite. But, one thing's for sure: the Arsenal board have no more excuses for not going after established players in the transfer market. Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry etc. have all left and Gilberto and Gallas have question marks over them. Who's to say the kids won't want to depart should Wenger leave also?

I'm not an Arsenal supporter, but they're gonna HAVE to spend big this off season; financial problems or no financial problems. Does anyone think that the move to the Emirates came a little too soon? Sure it's gonna be an undoubted long-term success, but you get the feeling (as an outsider) that it's hindered the sporting side of things in north London.

Will be interesting to see what he does in La Liga. Eto'o won't be staying.

Reports are suggesting otherwise, but then again Ronaldo left the Bernabeu rather unexpectedly. You can see why the board have signed Henry though... Keep the fans off their back for the time being, whilst ensuring you have cover should R10/Eto'o depart. IMO you can expect Gudjohnsen to be back in the EPL this season though...

We can't replace him. I wouldn't want Eto'o cos I don't think he's much of a team player, attitude off the field etc, despite his skill. I'd like us to make a big play for Villa or Torres now.

LOL that's a pretty poor criticism of Eto'o (as much as I hate the cabron). 11 assists since his return from injury (~January) suggests otherwise...

P.S. F.Torres is the most overrated striker in the top 3 European leagues, by far. He would be an embarrassment as a replacement for Henry, and not only that: if Arsenal thought Reyes wasn't worth it, then what on earth would they think of Fernando?

David Villa? €70 M and he's yours I guess...

 

[fat_mike]

torres would be a very good replacement. doesnt have the class of henry yet but he's still bloody young.

still think trezeguet is a chance if he's not re-signed by juve. apparently things arent all that well with him and the manager and wneger loves his frenchies.

 

[fat_mike]

gudjohnsen has been reported as saying he'd like to go to man united.

wish my bloody liverpool mnagement would get its arse into gear. we have signed SFA

 

[Phillips]

the Arsenal board have no more excuses for not going after established players in the transfer market. Vieira, Pires, Bergkamp, Henry etc. have all left and Gilberto and Gallas have question marks over them. Who's to say the kids won't want to depart should Wenger leave also?

this is Wengers fault.. the board regulary has stated the funds for new players are there, yet Wenger does not use them.

 

[Kiwishark]

LOL that's a pretty poor criticism of Eto'o (as much as I hate the cabron). 11 assists since his return from injury (~January) suggests otherwise...

I was more referring to how he spat the dummy when on the bench for Gudjonsen. Didn't he leave a game at halftime? "Off the field" being the operative of my quotes.

I hate players when they do things like that, with the money they get paid and the amount of people that would die to be them, to carry on like that is unacceptable imo. The hard yards don't stop when you make the team. No player is bigger than the team.

If I was Wenger I wouldn't touch him unless he could show me he has changed otherwise. He may have. I don't pay that much attention to la liga, or maybe he was just getting more gametime.

Torres was outstanding at the WC last year. The goal against the Ukraine was a standout for mine. What happened? Maybe he needs better players around him to reach his full potential......

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

You are deluded champ, he's GONE.

Will be interesting to see what he does in La Liga. Eto'o won't be staying.

If he fails in Spain, will you be there to say I told you so? It wouldn't surprise if he was something of a failure (like Shevchenko), because he'll be 30, and coming off some injuries. Age and injury are never good things for a player who had great pace in his prime.

I certainly wouldn't be ruling out a couple of 30 goal seasons in La Liga and Henry taking out every award and title going, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if he's slightly past his prime now.

Now, having said all that..............fist:.....if he goes, some big decisions will need to be made in my life. I may even have to consider a permanent username change.

 

[pennywisealfie]

be a barca fan thierry, the grass is greener at camp nou.

im not too sure about this signing, although i guess now that we have the 2 best strikers in the world who can stop us, the answer is barcelona.

we will have to fit eto'o, henry, ronaldinho, messi, deco, xavi, iniesta into the midfield to forwards, with henry or eto'o likely to miss game time when we wanna go with the 1 striker, we are bound to have problems, and rijkaard isnt exactly the best medium.

but oh well ill stop whinging, we just signed the 2nd best striker in the world, even tho i cant stand him lol.

 

[CC_Eagle]

Henry confirms Barcelona transfer
Thierry Henry
Henry has scored a club record 226 goals in 364 games for Arsenal
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 on Saturday.

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

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

Interview: Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira
Interview: Former Arsenal star Nigel Winterburn
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Soriano added it was "the wish of all parties" for an agreement to be reached for the transfer of Henry.

He also insisted that they waited for the green light from Arsenal before making a move for the striker, 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."


This is solely my decision, no-one has forced me to do anything

Thierry Henry

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.


606: DEBATE
Do you think this is a good deal for Arsenal?

"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 the reasoning behind his decision to move to the Nou Camp.

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

"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."

Thierry Henry
Henry spent much of last season sidelined because of injury

Henry began his career as a winger with Monaco in 1994 under the supervision of current Arsenal boss Arsene 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 has seen him finish as the Premier League's top scorer on four occasions.

He has won the PFA Players' 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/football/europe/6231950.stm

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the next headling will be Thierry and Arsene coming out of the closet..

We better f*cking sign an elite striker, RVP/Adebayor isn't good enough.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

we will have to fit eto'o, henry, ronaldinho, messi, deco, xavi, iniesta into the midfield to forwards, with henry or eto'o likely to miss game time when we wanna go with the 1 striker, we are bound to have problems, and rijkaard isnt exactly the best medium.

Deco won't be at Barca next year mate.

Barca will concede alot of goals next year unless they sign a top class DM, who is going to track back from that midfield? Puyol and Thuram aren't getting any younger, Marquez is nothing, Edmilson and Motta are useless and you have all kinds of problems with your fullbacks. Could be a very dumb signing for Barca unless they make some other big changes to go along with it.